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T' H E I R 



CARE AND TREATMENT 



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DR. LEGEAR'S STOCK BOOK 



A COMPLETE, VALUABLE, INSTRUCTIVE BOOK 

OF REFERENCE FOR ALL HORSE 

AND STOCK OWNERS. 



COMPRISING A DESCRIPTION OF THE GENERAL CARE, FEEDING AND 
WATERING, STABLING AND BREEDING, AND ALL THE DIS- 
EASES AND THEIR TREATMENT, OF STOCK IN TEXAS 
AND THE SOUTH. IT IS PLAINLY WRITTEN 
AND CONTAINS THE 



LATEST AND MOST VALUABLE FORMULAS. 

By DRS. L. D. AND N. G. LeGEAR, 

GRADUATES OF THE ONTAKIO VETERINARY COLLEGE, TORONTO, ONTARIO; 

HONORARY MEMBERS OF THE ONTARIO VETERINARY MEDICAL, 

SOCIETY; AND VETERINARIANS FOR "THE TEXAS 

STOCKMAN AND FARMER," 9AN ANTONIO. 



*^\4H*r^z- 



AUSTIN, TEXAS 

PUBLISHED BY THE AUTH 
1897 




TWO C VED 






Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1897, by 

Des. L. D. and N. G. LeGeae, 

In the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D. C 



BEN C. JONES AND CO. 

PRINTERS, 

BINDERS AND ELECTROTYPERS, 

AT'STIN, TEXAS. 






Below is a voluntary testimonial from The Texas Stockman 
and Farmer Publishing Co., of San Antonio, Texas, who publish 
The Texas Stockman and Farmer, which is one of the best pa- 
pers that is devoted to the live stock and farming interests of 
Texas and the Southwest: 

The Texas Stockman axd Farmer, 

San Antonio, Texas, August 3d, 1897. 

To the Stock Growers and Farmers of Texas: 

We have examined the advance sheets of the well-written and 
handsomely illustrated work devoted to the diseases and treat- 
ment of live stock in Texas and the South, and their proper care 
and breeding, to be issued shortly by Dr. L. D. LeGear and Dr. 
N. G. LeGear, veterinary surgeons, Austin, Texas. 

This book is plainly and simply written, and will be of great 
value on every farm and ranch. Drs. LeGear are both graduate 
veterinary surgeons, and have built up a large practice in this 
State. 

Dr. L. D. LeGear, for several years past, has been in charge of 
the veterinary department of this paper, and we have reason to 
know that he is one of the best posted men on diseases of live- 
stock and their treatment in the South; hence it is that we take 
great pleasure in endorsing this work. 

The Texas Stockmax axd Farmer Pub. Co.. 

Per Vories P. Brown, Editor and Manager. 



Below is a clipping from the August 26th number of "The 
Texas Vorwarts/ 5 the largest and most widely circulated German 
weekly paper in the State, published at Austin, Texas, by Judge 
Schutze. 

"We have read with great interest the manuscript of a book, 
very useful to the farmers and stock raisers, principally for such 
who reside in the State of Texas, or elsewhere in the South, and 
we can recommend same as a very valuable book. The book is 
edited by Drs. LeGear. It is indeed a stock book: complete, valu- 
able, and instructive — a book of reference for all horse and stock 
raisers and owners. It furnishes an exact description of the 
general care of stock: its feeding, watering, stabling, and breed- 
ing. It treats on the diseases of stock, and their treatment in 
Texas and the South. The book is written in plain language, 
and contains the latest and most valuable recipes for the cure of 
the diseases of stock. The editors, Drs. L. D. and N". G. LeGear, 
are graduates of the Ontario Veterinary College at Toronto, hon- 
orary members of the Ontario Veterinary Medical Society, and 
veterinarians for "The Texas Stockman and Farmer," San, An- 
tonio, Texas. 

" JULIUS SCHUTZE, Editor and Manager." 



INTRODUCTION. 



After traveling about over Texas and the South for three 
years, practicing our profession as veterinary surgeons, and in- 
vestigating the diseases and ailments peculiar to the domesti- 
cated animals here, we were very forcibly struck with this 
thought: "How greatly in need are the stock raisers and stock 
owners in Texas and the South of the proper information and 
instructions on the general care of stock, and their treatment 
while injured or diseased." This thought, with the request of 
hundreds of stock owners, stimulated us to the consideration of 
writing a general Stock Book, plainly written and profusely il- 
lustrated, by the aid of which every stock owner could treat the 
majority of diseases and ailments of his stock; and, best of all, 
learn how to care for them and keep them from becoming dis- 
eased. In offering our work to the public for sale, we think we 
have amply filled this want and demand. 

Texas, with her 7,000,000 cattle, 2,000,000 horses, 2,000,000 
hogs, and 4,000,000 sheep, can boast of being by far the greatest 
and best stock producing State in the Union; and then for her to 
be so nearly without veterinary skill, and plainly written veterin- 
ary books, shows the great need of a stock book of this kind on 
every ranch, farm, and in the house of every stock owner in the 
State. We find what few stock books there are in this country 
are either too old or are not written in a language plain enough 
for the ordinary citizen to understand. As veterinary science 
during the last few years has made such rapid progress in in- 
vestigating the exact nature and more successful treatment of 
various stock diseases, therefore, a stock book at the present day 



ii Introduction. 

is considered old and out of date if it is only five or eight years 
old. In writing this volume, we have taken special care and 
pains to write it in a very plain language, so that any one under- 
standing the English language can read it understanding!}*. We 
have made special efforts to make all new treatments as plain as 
possible, and to give the very best formulas for the same. You 
will notice in the treatment of some of the diseases given in this 
book that we recommend Dr. LeGear's Celebrated Veterinary 
Remedies, These are a line of stock medicines, explained fully 
in tins book, that we are manufacturing for the benefit and con- 
veniences of the .stock owner. They are put up in a very con- 
venient form, and are cheaper than you can get formulas filled 
for the same diseases, and they can be had from your druggist, ol- 
your country merchant. 

Wc are both graduate veterinary surgeons, having taken a full 
course of instructions, and graduated with high honors, from the 
Ontario Veterinary College, Toronto, Canada. In preparing this 
book, besides our veterinary skill, we have referred to the follow- 
ing noted modern veterinary writers: Robertson, Fleming, Chau- 
veau, Strangeway, Liautard, Williams, Courtney, Armatage, 
Finley Dun, Special Reports of the Bureau of Animal Industry, 
and The American Veterinary Review. "We have endeavored, as 
far as possible, to illustrate this book by using original, appro- 
priate cuts, which we hope will be a great aid to all those who 
read it in understanding the various diseases and their treatment. 

In conclusion, we wish to express a hope that this work may 
be favorably received by all into whose hands it may find its way. 
and more particularly the stock man and stock owners of Texas 
and the South. 



DR. LeGEAR'S STOCK BOOK. 



CHAPTER I. 

FEEDING AND WATERING HORSES. 

How often is the question asked, "How and when shall we feed 
and water our horses?" We shall endeavor to give, in as few 
words as possible, our opinion on this subject, which is endorsed 
by the best authorities in this country. Our remarks shall be 
confined to the driving horse, and the work horse and mule, not 
referring to horses at pasture. Over one-half the diseases of the 
digestive organs are caused by improper feeding and watering; 
therefore, this is a very important subject for all horse owners 
to consider. 

The horse, man's mo.st faithful and useful servant, since be- 
coming domesticated has to depend on man for the feed he eats. 
the water he drinks, the freedom he gets, the air he breathes, the 
light he receives, and, in fact, his very existence is at man's will, 
to properly or improperly care for him. Considering the small 
size of a horse's stomach, it would lead one to the belief that lie 
♦should be fed often and a small quantity at a time. Some of the 
large feeding stables in the North feed their horses grain four 
times a day, but we think three times is sufficient, but it should 
be done regularly, and at the same hour each day, if possible. 

Hay, fodder, or whatever roughness is used, should be fed at 
night, when the racks can be filled up, and let them eat what 
they want, as they have all night for it to digest. This applies 
more particularly to driving, horses, for if they are fed hay short ly 



2 Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 

before going on a drive their stomach and bowels are very dis- 
tended, which makes it difficult and injurious to perform severe 
labor. Rapid and severe labor should not be performed on a full 
stomach. For such horses, food must be given in small quanti- 
ties, and fed to them one or two hours before going to their work. 
One of the common errors of feeding, and one that produces 
more digestive disorders, is to feed too soon after a hard day's 
work. First give a few swallows of water, then some hay, and 
in about one hour give what water he will drink, and then his 
grain. By all means, feed sound, wholesome food, for damaged, 
inferior food is dear at any price. 

The disproportion between the size of the stomach and the 
amount of water drank tells us plainly that the horse should 
always be watered before feeding, as the stomach holds but three 
and a half to four gallons. A series of experiments has proven 
this. A horse was given all the water he would drink and fed 
four quarts of oats, and immediately after eating them he was 
killed. On opening the stomach, it was found that nearly all 
the oats were in the stomach and undergoing the process of di- 
gestion. Another horse was watered and fed in the same way, 
and was killed one hour after eating the oats. In this case, it 
was found that nearly all the oats had left the stomach and were 
found in the bowels, thoroughly digested and undergoing ab- 
sorption. A third one was given four quarts of oats, then given 
a bucket of water, and immediately killed. vVliat a sad state of 
affairs was found. Xearly all the oats had been slushed out of 
the stomach by the water, and were found floating in the water 
in the bowels in an undigested state. 

It is the same with all kinds of grain fed in this way. The 
grain which is washed out of the stomach by watering right after 
feeding not only passes out of the system only partially digested, 
but it gives extra work to the bowels, and weakens and overtaxes 
them. It can be plainly seen by the above that horses and mules 
should be watered before feeding, and not directly afterward. 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 3 

Horses at work should be watered often, and a small quantity at 
a time; while standing in the stable, three times a day is suffi- 
cient. Nothing will refresh a horse, while driving on a hot day,, 
like a few swallows of fresh water. It gives him new life and 
strength, and permits him to pursue his journey with much 
greater ease. On coming in, heated from a drive, a few swallows 
of water is beneficial to a horse, but all he will drink is dangerous. 
Water should be fresh, pure and wholesome. Impure water is 
the cause of many diseases of the horse. The quantity of grain 
fed should be regulated according to the size of the animal and 
the amount of labor he is required to do. Some horses are like 
some people — they can stand the violation of the proper laws of 
feeding and watering for a considerable length of time without 
experiencing or showing any inconveniences therefrom, but some 
day its effects will be plainly seen. 

Sick animals should have a bucket of fresh, cool water before 
them all the time. The food for a sick horse should be very nu- 
tritious and easy of digestion. Bran mashes, either scalded or 
just wet with cold water; boiled oats; green grass, or green food 
of any kind; linseed gruel, beets, turnips, potatoes, etc., are all 
very good. Wheat bran is a very necessary article of diet for 
every horse owner to have about his stable. He should educate 
his horses to eat it, for it is very healthy to a well horse, and far 
more valuable to a sick one. 



4 Dr. LeG-eae's Stock Book. 

CHAPTER II. 

STABLING AND GENEEA1 CAEE OF HOBSES. 

This is a subject that is sadly neglected by a majority of horse 
owners in this country. Very few farmers, and a great many 
horse owners in the cities and towns, have what can be called 
stables for their horses; they hare merely a lot and sheds, and. 
in fact, some don't have even a shed. These sheds, as a general 
Thing, are cool, airy, and comfortable for summer, but are cruel- 
ly cold and disagreeable during the winter "northers/' The 
horse, man's most faithful servant, needs comfort and protection 
against the cold and wet as well as man does. It is for the want 
of proper care and comfort that so many horses become affected 
with disease. These airy, cool sheds are the very best kind of 
stables for summer time in this country, but for winter we should 
have stables that we can close up to keep out the cold, chilly air. 
and give the animal a good bed of straw to lie on. How comfort- 
able it seems to us when, during a cold "norther," we can close 
our doors and windows, and get into a soft, warm bed. provided 
with plenty of blankets to keep us warm. "We should first see 
that our stock have a warm, comfortable place for the night, and 
then we can lie down and sleep with a clear conscience and an 
easy mind. 

Stables should be kept clean and dry. and have plenty of ven- 
tilation and good light. Close, dark, poorly ventilated stables 
are very injurious to horses' eyes, and to their general health. 
Foul air should be allowed to escape through trap-doors or win- 
dows in the ceiling or top of the stable. The stalls should be 
large and comfortable, box-stalls being the best. The stall floor 
should be clay or dirt, and nearly level. A hard plank floor is 
injurious to a horse's feet and legs. The hay racks should not be 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 5 

too high; in fact, it is better to feed hay from the ground, which 
is the natural way for a horse to get its food. If racks are used, 
they should not be higher than the shoulder. The grain boxes 
should be in one end of the manger (rack). If the horse has a 
habit of throwing his hay out under his feet, nail a few slats 
across the rack. If he is a greedy eater, put a few cobble-stones 
in his grain box. 

Horses, while working, should be groomed (cleaned with 
a curry-comb and brush) thoroughly once or twice a day. Use 
.a fine-tooth curry-comb and a stiff brush, and thoroughly work 
all the dirt and dust out of the hair each time of grooming. It is 
claimed by some good authorities on this subject that the curry- 
comb and brush, well used, is worth half-feed. Good grooming 
keeps the skin clean and healthy, and makes the hair short, sleek 
and glossy. If your stable is cold, a blanket should be kept on 
your horse during the cold weather. It is very important and 
necessary that a .street-blanket be had to put on your horse while 
he is standing in the cold. It is a cruel practice to hitch a horse 
in the street, either in the hot sun or cold wind, and let him stay 
for hours, as some do. If you have to hitch a horse out in a cold 
wind or storm, stand him with his tail to the wind. Don't be 
cruel and abusive to a horse. Be kind, but firm, to him, and he 
will obey you better than a hired servant. There is no excuse in 
working poor horses in a country like this, where so much grass 
and feed can be raised in abundance, with so little labor; and 
yet we often see poor horses and mules working to wagons with 
galled shoulders, and writhing under the whip of a cruel master. 
These are the farmers who have grassy crops and never get them 
cleaned out in time to receive the rain necessary to mature them. 
To prevent this cruel, barbarous treatment to stock, every town 
and community should form a humane society, whose object 
shall be the prevention of cruelty to animals. Texas has a law 
making it a misdemeanor to cruelly mistreat or abuse the horse, 
l)ii 1 it is not enforced. 



6 De. LeGear's Stock Book. 

Austin has formed a humane society, whose provisions are as 
follows, viz.: 

"Article 786. If any person shall wilfully kill. maim, wound, 
poison, or disfigure any horse, ass, mule, cattle, sheep, goat, 
swine, dosr. or other domesticated animal, or any domesticated 
bird, of another, with intent to injure the owner thereof, he shall 
be fined not less than ten nor more than two hundred dollars; 
and in prosecutions under this article the intent to injure may be 
presumed from the perpetration of the act. 

"Article T8L If any person shall wilfully or wantonly MIL 
maim, wound, disfigure, poison, or cruelly and unmercifully beat 
and abuse any animal included in the preceding article, he shall 
be fined not exceeding two hundred and fifty dollars." 

Let other cities, towns and communities follow Austin in this 
good work. Another cruelty inflicted on horses, which might- 
be called a fashionable one', is high checking. This is practiced 
more extensively in the cities, where many a poor horse is 
checked up so high that he can't see his feet, nor even the ground 
he is walking on. Moderate checking is all right on short drives, 
but on long, country drives a horse should have the free use of 
his head. A practice that is cruel and needless is to let a horse 
stand hitched in the .street with his head checked up too high. 
Always uncheck your horse if you can't let him stand ten min- 
utes, as it rests him. Considerable attention should be paid to a 
horse's shoulders, neck and back, to prevent saddle and collar 
galls. Keep the collar or saddle clean and smooth, and see that 
they fit well. Sponge on 2 the shoulders, neck and back on coming 
in from a hard drive, or day's work, with cold water, containing 
a little salt. This will toughen the skin and prevent galls. 

A horse's foot is a very particular and wonderful mechanism, 
and it needs special care and attention, for the old adage is very 
true — " no foot, no horse." The foot should be cleaned out and 
washed every morning, to see whether a nail has penetrated it or 
a rock has become wedged under the shoe. Horses used entirely 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 7 

on the farm need not be shod only in exceptional cases — those of 
weak, tender feet. For road use, a horse needs shoes on to pro- 
tect the wall of the hoof from wearing off too close, and to pro- 
tect it from bruises it would likely sustain by being driven fast 
on hard, rocky roads. For general remarks on shoeing, read up 
on that subject under its respective heading. 

Every stock man, stock owner and farmer, who is at all inter- 
ested in stock raising and farming, should take one or more of 
the following stock and farm papers: "The Texas Stockman and 
Farmer," San Antonio, Texas; "The Stock and Farm Journal," 
Fort Worth, Texas; or "The Farm and Ranch," Dallas, Texas. 



8 Dr. LeG-ear's Stock Book. 

CHAPTER III. 

BREEDING. 

The breeding of hor.ses is a subject that is sadly neglected by 
a great many breeders. Some men think if a mare can conceive 
and bring a colt, no matter how old, broken-down or crippled she 
is, she is just as good as a well-bred, sound, young mare. This is 
a very false idea. The law of like producing like is very plainly 
shown in breeding horses; therefore, if you wish to raise good 
colts, you must breed from sound parents. It is a profitable 
business to raise good horses, but common horses are raised at 
a loss. This is exemplified at the present time by the cheapness 
of the common horse, and the increasing demand and good price 
of good driving horses. It costs just as much to raise a common, 
scrub colt as it does a fine-blooded one; the only difference being 
in the cost of the sire. The first will sell, when four or five years 
old and broken to harness, probably for from $10 to $40, and the 
other will bring from $75 to $200. 

Below is a portion of the paper prepared by Col. Henry Exall, 
of Dallas, and read before the Livestock Association of Texas at 
San Antonio, in March of this year. Colonel Exall is one of the 
greatest horsemen in Texas, and a good authority on this sub- 
ject; therefore, we think his remarks will be interesting and prof- 
itable to all readers of this book: 

'T will simply state that in my opinion, formed after the most 
careful investigation of the present status of the horse market, 
and the conditions surrounding the horse-breeding industry, 
that, at this particular time, no business offers greater returns, 
with the same degree of certainty, than the breeding and careful 
raising of a high class of trotting horse suitable for track and 



De. LeGeae's Stock Book. 9 

road purposes, having size, substance, good looks, good behavior 
and speed, ordinary or great, and the more the better. My rea- 
sons for this belief will be given very briefly: 

"Breeding has been almost totally abandoned for the past four 
years, and it is estimated that there are not as many horses in the 
United States in 1897 as there were in 1890 by about 2,000,000, 
the decrease being proportionately much larger in the high 
grades of horses than in the cheaper and less desirable ones. 

"Nothing but very high prices will stimulate the people to 
start to breeding again; and, when they do start, the scarcity of 
merchantable stock will be intensified by the number of mares 
that will be withdrawn from ordinary use and put to breeding. 
It will be at least six years after the breeding industry is well 
under way again before the colts, resulting from such breeding, 
will be old enough for general use. 

"In the meantime, there will be a great scarcity of horses, and 
corresponding high prices. 

"The great decline in prices in 1893-96 was, to a great extent, 
brought about by the fact that during the prosperous times, when 
horses were very high, thousands of parties, without any practical 
knowledge, rushed into the breeding business, using anything in 
the line of .stallions and mares that was ever remotely related to 
anything that had trotted, paying no attention to size, good looks 
or soundness. 

"In a great many instances, the stallions and mares upon so- 
called trotting farms failed to produce more than 2 or 3 per cent 
of horses that could be made to go in 2:30. Of course, this meant 
ruin and disaster whenever this character of stock was forced 
upon the market, as intelligent breeders would not buy them, 
and to the general public they were of no more value than the 
ordinary horses of the country. 

"This indiscriminate breeding of trotters that could not trot 
and had very few other desirable qualities, very materially helped 
to increase the number of horses in the United States from about 



10 De. LeG-ear's Stock Book. 

11,000,000 in 1866 to about 16,000,000 in 1890. About this 
time the country began to feel the approach of an impending 
panic, money began to be scarce, and many parties who had 
other business interests to protect found it necessary to close 
out their horse business so as to concentrate their funds, and ac- 
cordingly consigned their stock to the auction market. 

"The decline in prices was precipitated and intensified by the 
fact that thousands of breeders all over the country, discouraged 
at the outlook and influenced to some extent by the example of 
others, unreasoningly, or in some cases from absolute necessity, 
consigned all their horses, regardless of condition or fitness for 
sale, to the auction markets. As no one at this time was buying 
breeding stock, the majority of these horses sold at ruinously low 
prices, and the very publishing of these low prices tended to keep 
up the panic and caused almost total abandonment of the horse- 
breeding industry. 

"To-day, the condition is abnormal, and can not long remain 
us it is, to-wit, good horses ready for use are already scarce and 
bring remunerative prices in the chief markets of the country, 
but brood mares and immature young stock, the sources from 
which a future supply of merchantable horses must come, are 
abandoned and almost without price. 

"'With the dawn of 1897, a brighter future for the horse busi- 
ness is already in sight. The recent sales in New York, Lexing- 
ton and Chicago have averaged almost double the prices realized 
in the same markets for the same class of stock one year ago. 

"European parties, too, are active buyers at all sales in the 
United States now, and the recent winning of the greatest race 
ever trotted in the old world — the grand prize at St. Petersburg, 
Russia — by an American trotting mare, will give an increased 
impetus to the rapidly growing demand for high class American 
horses in Europe. This is evidenced by the fact that within the 
past ten days eighty-seven richly-bred trotting horses were sold 



De. LeGeae's Stock Book. 11 

in Lexington. Ky. 3 to European parties, for the sum of $98,800, 
and shipped on the steamship Prussia to Vienna. Austria. 

"The great success that has been attained by Woodburn and 
kindred farms is very largely due to the fact that they have per- 
sistently claimed that speed follows blood, and have insisted that 
their stallions and mares should be of the highest breeding. 
These arc the only lines upon which very great success can be 
assured. The short, or half-bred, animal will occasionally pro- 
duce .speed, bii i not with uniformity. To reach the highest pin- 
nacle of success, a breeder must determine that the choicest ani- 
mals he raises are too good to .sell and must be kept for breeding. 

"If you will start with the best-bred ones that you can com- 
mand, and intelligently grow and educate their offspring for a 
few generations, reserving always the best, we may yet produce 
not only the 2:00, but the 1:50, trotter on Texas soil, and I hope 
upon the Lomo Alto farm. 

"When our colts have long lines of successful speed-producers 
on the side of both sire and dam— with size, substance, intelli- 
gence, docility and speed, that trot naturally and with little 
training — the type of the American trotter will be fixed, and the 
wealthy world will take at handsome figures all that we can raise. 
The breeder who will cause 500 bushels of oats and 10 tons of 
hay to produce a horse worth from $500 to possibly many thou- 
sands of dollars, instead of a horse worth- from $25 to $100, will 
make a fortune for himself and set an example that should be 
worth millions to his countrymen/' 

In selecting a stallion or a mare for breeding purposes, see 
that they arc of a kind disposition, good form, size and action, 
and free from all hereditary diseases, as heaves, roaring, ophthal- 
mia, rupture, spavin, ring-bone, weak feet, curby hocks, etc. The 
colt may not be born with any of these diseases, but if the sire 
or dam is affected with one or more of them, the colt is liable to 
2 



12 Dr. LeGeah's Stock Book. 

be born weak in those parts, and the disease is very liable to de- 
velop some time during its life. 

CARE OF THE MARE. 

A mare should have a certain amount of .special care during 
the time she is carrying the colt. Regular, gentle work, and good 
feed, is to be preferred to no work and half feed. During the last 
two or three months of gestation, great care should be taken that 
the mare is not excited, pulled or run too hard, and should be 
kept away from the smell of fresh blood. 

The usual time for a mare to carry a colt is eleven months, 
although it may vary between ten and twelve months. Time 
should be arranged so that the colt will come at a time when 
there is .some grass, as the mare will do better when not confined 
to dry feed. The virgin mare, or one that has not had a colt for 
at least one year, should be bred when in season. The mare that 
has had a colt will be found in season (heat) on the eighth or 
ninth day, and should be served at that time. After serving the 
mare, the days for trial are the ninth after serving, the seventh 
after this, and the fifth after this again. Some commence again 
on the ninth day, and follow up as before, making forty-two days 
in all. 

The mare and colt should be well fed and cared for. Moderate 
work, with good feed, will not, as a general thing, interfere with 
the colt's growth, but we think a mare has enough to do if she 
supplies the colt with sufficient milk for its growth and strength. 
If the mare is being driven, or doing farm work, the colt snould 
not be allowed to suck while the mare is hot, and the milk fev- 
ered. When the colt is about six or seven months old, it may be 
weaned, and should be turned into a good pasture away from the 
mare. To thrive and do well, the colt should be fed a little oats 
and bran once a day. If possible, keep jour colts and horses 
away from barbecl-wire fences, as it disfigures and ruins a large 



De. LeGear's Stock Book. 13 

percentage of the horses in this country. Colts should be han- 
dled while young, if this is possible, and educated and trained 
like a child, and, when old enough to work, they can be taught 
to do so without much trouble. Colts can be broken to harness 
while yearlings, and driven lightly at the age of two; but it is 
better not to put them to hard work until about four years old. 



14 



De. LeGkae's Stock Book. 



CHAPTER IV. 
HOW MEDICINES SHOULD BE GIVEN. 

There are various ways by which medicines may be given to 
stock: but. as every hor.se owner, or stock man, isn't supposed to 
be a professional veterinarian, nor is he equipped with all the 
necessary instruments and appliances for treating stock, there- 
fore, we will endeavor here to explain a few of the most con- 
venient and useful ways by which medicines can be administered 
by any person competent of owning stock: 




Fisr. 1. Drenching: Bi: 



(1) By the Mouth. — Medicines can be given by the mouth 
in the form of drenches, powders, balls, etc. 



Drenches. — This is the most common and universal way by 
which medicines are given to animals. Drenches are to be given 
when the medicine is a liquid, and the dose large. Drenches 
must be given bv the mouth, and never through the nose. Medi- 



Dr. LeGeae's Stock Book. 15 

cines given through the nose are very liable to irritate the nasal 
chambers, strangle the animal, and cause death — some times in 
a very short time. Water should never be poured through the 
nose to make a horse swallow. Do not rub, pinch or pound the 
throat, nor draw out the tongue, when giving a drench. These 
will not aid the horse to swallow, but are very liable to do much 
harm. When medicines are to be given as a drench, they should 
be put in enough water or oil to dissolve or dilute them. Medi- 
cines given not sufficiently diluted are liable to burn or irritate 
the mouth and throat. The mo,st convenient way of giving a 
drench is by the use of the drenching bit (Fig. No. 1). The med- 
icine is poured into the funnel at the side of the mouth, and it 
runs out of the little hole in the hollow bit that is in his mouth. 
By having the head slightly elevated, the horse will swallow the 
medicine without an}' trouble. The next best way to give a 
drench is to put on a bridle, with a straight, smooth bit. Tie 
a small rope or strap to each ring of the bridle rings, and pull 
the head up by this means. A loop may be made on the end of a 
rope large enough to go around the upper jaw, and back of the 
front teeth, and the head pulled up with the rope over a limb of 
a tree, or beam in the stable. Don't pull the head up too high, 
but just high enough so the medicine will not run out of his 
mouth. Use a smooth, strong, long-necked bottle, in which 
have the medicine. Pull the head up, and insert the neck of the 
bottle into the mouth from the side, and pour not over four 
ounces of the medicine at one time. Eemove the bottle, and if 
the horse doesn't work his jaws, rub the roof of his mouth with 
your thumb, which will make him work his jaws and swallow. 
Be very careful, and don't let th*e horse crush the neck of the 
bottle between hi.s jaw teeth. If he should break the bottle, or 
cough and strangle, let the head down at once. Yon may stand 
on a box or stool to give a drench. 

C!ows can be easily drenched by grasping the nose with the 



16 De. LeGteak's Stock Book. 

thumb and middle finger of the left hand, and pouring the medi- 
cine down with the right hand. 

Powders. — Powders are generally given mixed with damp feed, 
or dissolved in the drinking water. They should be finely pow- 
dered, and all bitter powders that are to be given in the feed 
should be scented or sweetened with a little powdered anise seed, 
f enugreen or sugar. They should never be put in the feed dry, 
but either mixed in a bran mash, dampened shelled oats, soaked 
shelled corn, etc. Those that are not bitter and are readily dis- 
solved, can be given in the drinking water. Small doses of pow- 
ders, such as our Condition Powders, can be put away back on a 
horse's tongue dry, with a long-handled spoon, without wasting 
them. Powders can also be given as a drench by being shaken 
up in one-half pint of water in a long-necked bottle. 

Balls. — This is a means by which very few horse owners can, 
with any degree of satisfaction, give medicine to a horse. When 
a ball is properly made, it is about two inches long and three- 
quarters of an inch in diameter. Balls are frequently used by 
veterinary surgeons when they wish to give medicine that is ex- 
tremely disagreeable or nauseating. They should be made up 
fresh and rolled into tissue paper before given. They should be 
made up with gh T cerine, vaseline, or soft soap. Gelatine capsules 
large enough for veterinary use are now made and are very use- 
ful and convenient for giving balls. The way balls are given is 
to grasp the tongue with the left hand, and with the right hand 
place the ball back on the root of the horse's tongue, and on let- 
ting the tongue go he swallows it. The mouth .speculum (Fig. 
iSTo. 9) may be used to open the mouth and prevent a horse from 
biting you while giving a ball. Don't shove a ball down a horse's 
throat with a stick, as you are very liable to injure his throat in 
that way. 



De. LeGtEak's Stock Book. 



17 




Fig. 2. Hypodermic Syringe. 

(2) Undee the Skin. — Medicines are frequently given under 
the skin by the use of a hypodermic syringe (Fig. Xo. 2). This 
is called the hypodermic (hypo., under; dermic, the skin) method 
of giving medicine. Such medicines as morphine, atropene, co- 
caine, e.serine, pilocarpine, etc., are given in this way. Great 
care should he taken in giving these medicines in this way, he- 
cause they are all poisons, and must be used with care. The 
needle should be perfectly clean, so as not to poison the animal. 
In the neck, or on the shoulder, is the preferable place to give 
medicine hypodermicallv. 



(A) By Inhalation. — In certain head, throat, and lung trou- 
bles, inhalation of steam, containing a small quantity o\' such 
medicines as camphor, carbolic acid, turpentine, etc.. is very 
Ix neficial. Chloroform and sulphuric ether are 'nhaled through 
the tios< for anaesthetic purposes. To put a horse to sleep, use 



18 Dr. LeG-ear's Stock Book. 

pure chloroform; but with the dog, use two parts ether and one 
part chloroform. 

(4) By the Rectum. — Medicines are injected into the rectum 
to kill pin- worms, found in the rectum, to stimulate the action 
of the bowels, and clean. out the rectum. This is done with a 
large syringe or injection pump. Stimulating medicines and 
foods may be injected into the rectum, to be absorbed by the cir- 
culation, during sickness. 



Dr. LeGeae's Stock Book. 19 

CHAPTER V. 

ORGANS OF RESPIRATION (BREATHING). 

The principal organs of breathing are the nostrils, na,sal cham- 
bers, larynx, windpipe, and the lungs. Owing to the large size 
of a horse's soft palate, he can not breathe through his 
mouth, but must breathe through his nostrils entirely. The 
mucous membrane lining the nostrils and the chambers in 
a horse's head is very delicate and sensitive, and by a 
horse breathing through his nostrils exclusively explains why a 
horse catches cold, distemper, etc., so easily. The larynx is situ- 
ated in the throat, and is the entrance to the windpipe. It be- 
comes affected in the d:\sease called roaring. The windpipe is 
the tube that conveys the air from the larynx to the lungs. It 
can be felt plainly in the front of a horse's neck. The lungs are 
the principal organs of breathing. They consist of two light, 
soft, spongy masses, one on either side, commonly called the 
"lights," being situated entirely in the cavity of the chest. On 
the outside, the lungs are completely covered by a thin, shining- 
membrane, called the pleura, which also lines the chest cavity. 
The healthy lungs of any animal, after birth, will float on wa- 
ter, but will not before birth. It is in the lungs that the blood is 
purified — the oxygen in the pure air that the animal breathes 
comes in contact, as it were, with the impurities in the blood, 
burning it up, and converts it into a substance called carbon 
dioxide, which is thrown off from the lungs as a poisonous gas. 



20 Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 

DISEASES OF THE ORGANS OF RESPIRATION. 

CATABHH— COLD IN THE HEAD. 

Catarrh, as meant in this article, is a discharge of fluid from, 
the lining of the air passages of the head (nose). 

Causes. — Sudden changes in the weather, exposure to cold and 
wet, badly ventilated stables, impure air, etc. The disease is 
mostly seen in young horses. 

Symptoms. — The animal is duller than usual, and may or may 
not have a cough. The discharge, which is at first thin and wa- 
tery, is usually from both nostrils, but soon becomes thicker and 
more abundant, and yellowish-white in appearance. It is liable 
to run into congestion of the lungs if the animal is put to work 
too soon. It usually runs a favorable course in from six to ten 
days. 

Treatment. — The treatment for cold in the head is very sim- 
ple, if taken in time: and usually terminates favorably. Protect 
the animal from the cold and wet by keeping it in a comfortable 
place, with plenty of fresh air. As a general thing, all the med- 
icine that is necessary to give is our Condition Powder in one 
teaspoonful closes, morning and night, in bran mashes or other 
damp feed. If there is a cough present, bathe the throat well 
with our Liniment morning and night. Feed on soft, damp 
food. In very severe cases, if the animal is much weak, give the 
following: 



Dk. LeGeab's Stock Book. 21 

Sweet nitre 1 ounce. 

Alcohol 2 ounces. 

Nitrate of potash 2 drams. 

Water 1 pint. 

Mix, and giv.e as a^ drench twice a day until the animal 
is better. 

Steaming the head by having the animal inhale the steam of 
hot water containing a little carbolic acid,, camphor, or turpen- 
tine, is beneficial in bad cases. Apply our Liniment, and give 
our Condition Powders regularly until the cough and discharge 
from the nose entirely stops. 

LARYNGITIS— SORE THROAT. 

Laryngitis is an inflammation of the lining membrane of the 
Jarynx (the upper part of the windpipe). It is a serious affection, 
and v.ery often causes the death of the animal. 

Causes. — Are about the same as those causing catarrh: as, ex- 
posure to cold and wet, changes in the weather, draughts of cold 
air, giving certain irritating medicines, etc. 

Symptoms. — About the first thing noticed is a cough, folloAved 
by a difficulty in swallowing, so that the water, and in some cases 
the food, is returned through the nose. The mouth is hot, and 
froth dribbles from it. Pressure on the throat causes a violent 
fit of coughing. The animal usually stands with his head "poked 
out." The membrane in the nose becomes red. The discharge 
from the nostrils, if profuse and coming away freely, is to be re- 
garded as a good sign. 

Treatment. — During an attack of sore throat, the horse should 
be laid off work, and fed on soft, easily digested food: as, bran 



22 Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 

mashes, chops, boiled oats, linseed meal, and, best of all, green 
grass, if it can be had. In ordinary cases, all the medicine neces- 
sary is Dr. LeGear's Liniment (see Appendix), well rubbed on the 
throat morning and night, and Dr, LeGear's Condition Powders, 
given in the feed morning and evening. The Liniment will draw 
the soreness out of the throat, while the Condition' Powders will 
cure the cough and build up the animal's system. In very bad 
cases, the horse may be made to inhale steam from hot water, into 
which has been put a little camphor, carbolic acid, or turpentine. 
If there is much fever, ten drops of tincture of aconite may be 
given even r four hours in a little water. One-half teaspoonful 
each of chlorate and nitrate of potassium may be given two or 
three times per day in the drinking water, or put on the tongue. 

NASAL AKD PHAKYNGEAL POLYPI. 

These are tumors, usually of a fibrous nature, situated in the 
air passages. They usually have a small neck, with a free ex- 
panded extremity. 

Causes. — These growth are often the result of irritation of 
the membrane lining the parts, and often occur without any ap- 
parent cause. 

Symptoms. — There is generally a discharge from the nostril 
on the affected side, which may be bloody. The breathing may 
become very difficult, even to such an extent as to cause the ani- 
mal to fall clown. 

Treatment. — Make an examination, and if it has a small neck 
try to remove it with the ecrasure. If in the nose, you 
might be able to seize it with a pair of forceps and twist it off. 
The bleeding is often excessive, and there is always danger of the 
blood escaping into the lungs and causing death. 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 23 



BLEEDIXG PEOM THE NOSE— EPIST AXIS. 

This often occurs in connection with other diseases, but may 
occur as an independent disorder. 

Causes. — It may occur as a result of an injury, as a kick, blow, 
etc., causing rupture of a blood vessel in the nose. Sometimes 
severe exertion will also burst a blood vessel, while bleeding oc- 
curs at times without any known cause. 

Symptoms. — The bleeding is almost always from one nostril 
onlv, and is never very serious — usually in drops. 

Treatment. — Pour cold water over the face and head, or hang 
a bag with ice in it on the face. If necessary, plug the nostril 
with cotton wet in cold water. Of course only plug one nostril at 
a time. If this does not check the bleeding, give 1 dram acetate 
of lead dissolved in a pint of water, or give 1 ounce of turpentine 
in warm milk. 

SPASM OF THE LARYXX. 

Spasm of the larynx most commonly occurs amongst old 
horses, and is due in the majority of cases to cerebral (brain) 
disturbance. 

Symptoms. — The attack is very sudden. In some cases a frothy 
spume issues from the nostrils; the breathing is very difficult, 
loud and labored; the animal staggers, struggles for breath, and 
finally falls. 

Treatment. — Hypodermic injections of morphine, inhalations 
of chloroform, administrations of opium, etc, is the proper line 
of treatment. When due to cerebral disturbance give the fol- 
lowing as a drench: 



24 Db. LeGeab's Stock Book. 

Bromide of potassa -± drams. 

Water 1 pint. 

Mix. 

CHKONIC COUGH. 

It may exist without any apparent cause. It may follow laryn- 
gitis, and may be associated with chest diseases, indigestion, etc. 

Treatment. — Carefully avoid the feeding of bad hay and oats, 
dusty food. etc.. and give 1 dram of antimony twice a day for 
ten davs: or sd^e the following old reliable remedv: 

Calomel 6 dram-. 

Digitalis 6 drams. 

Camphor 6 drams. 

Powdered opium 6 drams. 

Mix and divide into 12 powders, and srive one every 
other morning before feeding. 

CHRONIC CATARRH— NASAL GLEET. 

This is characterized by a continuous discharge of a thick, 

white, or yellowish- white matter from one or both nostrils. 

Causes. — The commonest cause is a neglected or badly treated 
cold, usually following those cases where the horse has been ex- 
posed, been over-worked, or has not received proper food. Other 
causes are: blows on the head and face, diseased teeth, tumors, 
fractures, or particles of food or other foreiam bodies getting in 
the passages of the head. 

Symptoms. — The discharge from the nose is at first white, 
soon becomes yellow, and sticks around the nostrils, but gener- 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 25 

ally is not so sticky as the discharge of glanders. The lining 
membrane in the nose is reddened at first, but soon takes on a 
paler color, but has no ulcers. Slight enlargement of the bones 
of the face may be seen, and tapping the enlargement with the 
knuckles a dull dead sound is heard, indicating that there is 
matter beneath. In such cases the breathing may be affected. 
When the bones are diseased the discharge will have a disagree- 
able odor. 

Treatment. — The treatment of this disease is very important, 
owing to the fact that animals affected with it (nasal gleet) are 
very liable to take the glanders if exposed to the contagion. 
Nasal gleet will not run into the glanders, but it weakens the 
animal's system and makes it very liable to take the glanders if 
exposed. If taken in time most of cases of this disease can be 
cured, but after it is let run on for several months it is then very 
tedious and hard to cure. It may be well to quarantine (remove 
it from other horses and mules) the animal for a few days and 
give large doses of blood tonics as the following: 

Sulphate of iron 3 ounces. 

Iodide of potassium 2^ ounces. 

Mix, and make 20 powders, and give one night and 
morning in damp feed. 

When the above are all given get the following prescription 
filled and jnve as directed: 



& j 



Sulphate of copper 3 ounces. 

Powdered nux vomica 2 ounces. 

Powdered gentian 3 ounces. 

Powdered anise seed 1 ounce. 

Mix, and make 20 powders, and give one night and 
morning in dam]) feed. 



26 Dr. Le Gear's Stock Book. 




Fir. 3. Trephine. 

Sometimes a good blister applied to the face will be bene- 
ficial. If there is an aeetimulation of matter in the sinuses of 
the face the only relief will be the operation of trephining, which 
is done by boring into the head with a trephine (Fig. 3) and 
allowing the matter to escape. If the nasal gleet is the result of 
a diseased tooth, the tooth must be removed. 

EOAEIXG-. 

Roaring may be defined to be breathing with a loud and un- 
natural sound during violent exercise. Roaring in itself is not 
a disease, but it is only a symptom of disease. Wlieezing and 
whistling are only different forms of the same disease, and both 
fir ally terminate in roaring. 

Causes. — Roaring is caused by some obstruction to the free 
-age of air in the larynx (upper part of windpipe). Such dis- 
eases as laryngitis, distemper, etc.. are liable to terminate in 
roaring. Xo doubt hereditary transmission has a great deal to 
do with it. Tight reining may be regarded as one of the causes 
of roaring, but. after all other causes are mentioned, it will be 
found that nine out of every ten well-established cases of roaring 
are caused by paralysis of the muscles of the larynx: the muscles 
of the left side are almost invariably the ones affected. 

Symptoms. — The best way to test whether a horse is a "roarer" 
is to either make him pull a load rapidly up a hill or over a sandy 
road or soft ground : or. if he is a saddle horse, gallop him up a 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 27 

hill. After which the animal may be suddenly stopped, and by 
immediately placing the ear to the nose and throat, any unnat- 
ural sound may be heard. The above method of examination is 
to be recommended in all cases, as some cases of roaring are so 
slight as to he rather difficult to detect. In may cases, the char- 
acteristic sound can be heard at a distance. Another test is, to 
give exercise, then stand the animal by a wall, his head firmly 
held by an attendant. Now, with a whip make a motion as 
though you were going to strike the animal, when he will start 
forward very suddenly, and, if affected, will usually make the 
grunt peculiar to "roarers." 

Treatment. — This disease, when once established, is incurable. 
But relief may be afforded by an operation called tracheotomy, 
by which a hole is cut in the front of the windpipe and a tube 
(Fig. No. 4) put in, through which the animal may breathe, 
and get sufficient air to undergo severe exercise without distress. 
This is a delicate operation, and should be undertaken only 
by experienced veterinary surgeons. Eelief may be afforded if 
taken in time by giving 1 dram of iodide of potassium twice a 
day for two or three weeks. Sometimes, a good blister applied 
to the throat is beneficial. A "roarer" should never be used for 
breeding purposes, as the disease is very likely to be transmitted 
to the colts. In roaring, the disease is in the throat, and the 
horse has difficulty in getting enough air into the lungs for fast 
work, while heaves is an affection of the lungs, and the horse has 
difficulty in forcing the air out of the lungs. 



28 Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 



TKACHITIS. 

This is an inflammation of the lining membrane of the trachea 
(windpipe). 

Cause. — It is generally clue to the presence of some foreign 
body, or exists as a complication of sore throat. 

Symptoms. — The breathing is somewhat labored, and on plac- 
ing the ear to the windpipe a rattling sound may be plainly 
heard. There is usually a discharge from the nose. 

Treatment. — Clip off the long hair over the course of the wind- 
pipe, and apply Dr. LeGear's Liniment, or put on a mustard 
plaster. Give, in each bucket of the animal's drinking water, 2 
drams of chlorate of potash. Clothe the patient well, and keep 
out of draughts, and don't allow the animal to breathe very cold 
air. 

BEOXCHITIS. 

Bronchitis is an inflammation of the lining membrane of the 
tubes which branch from the windpipe and carry the air to and 
from the lungs. It is more dangerous when the smaller tubes aro 
affected. 

Causes. — The disease may be caused by exposure to cold and 
wet, sudden changes in the weather, standing in draughts of cold 
air, improperly giving medicine — as, forcing it down, or giving 
it through the nose, a part of it passing into the Windpipe, thence 
to the bronchial tubes, causing inflammation. A drench should 
never be given through the nose. Other causes are, breathing 
irritating gases and smoke, foreign bodies getting into the parts, 
etc 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 29 

Symptoms. — At first, there is noticed a chill, quickly followed 
by fever. The animal usually stands, and has a somewhat dry, 
husky cough. On placing the ear to the chest, a rattling, or 
coarse, wheezing sound may he heard, indicating that the large 
tubes are affected; or a hissing or whistling sound, showing that 
the small tubes are the ones affected. A discharge from the nose 
soon follows, which, if yellow, may be regarded as a good sign; 
but, if it is of a reddish or rusty color, it is to be regarded as an 
unfavorable symptom. 

Treatment. — Put the animal in a comfortable box-stall, free 
from draughts; cover the body with a blanket — light or heavy, 
according to the season of the year. Hand-rub the legs until 
they are warm, after which apply flannel bandages, from the 
hoofs to the knees and hocks. Don't fail to apply Dr. LeGear's 
Liniment (see Appendix) well over the side and front of chest, 
behind the elbow and shoulder blades, covering a large surface. 
Bub the Liniment in well every day. Put a tablespoonful of oil 
of turpentine in a bucket of boiling water, and make the animal 
inhale the steam. In bad cases, the steam should be inhaled 
every hour. Give as a drench three times per day the following: 

Solution of acetate of ammonia 3 ounces. 

Spirits of nitrous ether 2 ounces. 

Bicarbonate of potassium 4 drams. 

Water 1 pint. 

Mix. 

If much pain is manifested in drenching, you better not 
drench, but put in each bucket of drinking water, if the animal 
will drink, one tablespoonful of bicarbonate of potassium. If 
the horse won't eat, and seems weak, give the following drench 
every four or five hours: 



30 Da. LeGeae'- Stock Book. 

Sweet nitre 2 ounces. 

Alcohol 2 ounces. 

Water 1 pint. 

Mix. 

If the bowels are constipated, give injections per rectum of 
warm water. Don't give a purgative: don't bleed. 

HAEMOPTYSIS— BLEEDING PROM THE LUSTGS. 

s. — Bleeding from the lungs is often associated with 
congestion of the lungs, bronchitis, pneumonia, etc. Aside from 
these conditions the principal cause is the performance of some 
severe exertion when not in suitable condition: most commonly 
met with in trotting and r unnin g horses, and in those in fine 
condition. 

s. — When the blood comes from the lungs the ani- 
mal has a cough, and the blood is frothy and comes from both 
nostrils. The ear may be placed against the windpipe along its 
course, and if the blood is from the lungs a gurgling or rattling 
sound will be heard. 

T eatment — It is very seldom this trouble needs any internal 
ti :ment. If the blood is profuse and continue* for any length 
of time, srive: 



• D 



Turpentine 1 ounce. 

Eaw linseed oil 8 ounces. 

Mis, and give as a drench, and repeat in one hour if 
necessary. 

One ounce tincture of iron may be given in one pint of water. 
Keep the animal quiet and in a cool place for several hours. If 



Dr. LeG-ear's Stock Book. 31 

the coughing is severe, give 1 ounce tincture of opium as a 
drench in 1 pint of water. 

CONGESTION OF THE LUNGS. 

Congestion of the lungs is simplv an excess of blood in the 
vessels of the parts affected. It may be considered as the first 
stage of inflammation. 

Causes. — Congestion of the lungs in the horse is usually 
caused by being put to rapid work and severe exertion when the 
animal is not in a fit condition to undergo more than moderate 
exercise. Driving an animal while suffering from certain dis- 
eases, as simple catarrh, distemper, etc., keeping in damp, badly 
ventilated stables, impure air, draughts, etc., are all causes of 
congestion of the lungs. The disease runs its course within a 
period varying from 8 or 10 hours to several days. 

Symptoms. — Most any intelligent person should be able to 
recognize a case of congestion of the lungs when caused by over- 
exertion, as the history of the case is sufficient to point out the 
trouble. The animal is noticed to stand with his head down, legs 
spread out, breathing becomes very difficult, with flapping of the 
nostrils, cold sweats break out, and the ears and extremities soon 
become deathly cold, which is well marked during cold weather. 
If the pulse can be felt at all, it will be found to be quick and 
weak. The temperature gradually rises, there is trembling of the 
flanks, and by placing your ear to the sides of the chest the char- 
acteristic sounds (a kind of snoring sound) of congestion of the 
lungs are heard. 

Treatment. — The treatment of this trouble should be prompt 
and energetic. Give some good diffusible stimulant as: 



32 Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 

Sweet spirits of nitre 2 ounces. 

Whiskey -i ounces. 

Water . . 1 pint. 

Mix, and give as a drench, and repeat every two or three 
hours until the horse is not so distressed. 

The animal should he well blanketed. The legs should he 
bathed with hot water and then bandaged with woolen bandages. 
Don't put the patient in a close stable, but allow plenty of fresh 
air. Instead of the above prescription, you may give 1 ounce 
of tincture of arnica in one-half pint of water every hour until 
relieved. Or turpentine, 1 ounce, may be given in one-half pint 
of new milk. Give the animal plenty of pure cold water and 
good, nutritious, easily digested food, as grass, boiled, oats, bran 
mash, linseed meal, etc. After the alarming symptoms have 
passed off you may give: 

Tincture ginger 1 ounce. 

Tincture iron : 2 drams. 

Tincture gentian 2 ounces. 

Water 1 pint. 

Mix, and give as a drench every six hours for a couple 
of day?. 

Care should be taken of the animal for several days. During 
recovery give as directed Dr. LeGear's Condition Powders night 
and morning in damp feed for several clays. 

PNEUMONIA— LUNG FEVER. 

This is inflammation of the lungs. Both lungs may be at- 
tacked, but. as a general rule, one lung only is afflicted, and that 
is usually the right one. 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 33 

Causes, — Exposure to wet and cold, standing in draughts, 
neglected catarrh, etc., are among the causes to he mentioned. 
It may also he caused bv irritating substances, as certain medi- 
cines, inhalation of smoke, and breathing the air of badly venti- 
lated stables. Such diseases as bronchitis, laryngitis, etc., may 
terminate in pneumonia. 

Symptoms. — At first the animal has a chill, which is generally 
overlooked. The breathing becomes ouickened, and the animal 
hangs its head and has a very dull appearance. The mouth is 
hot, indicating fever, and has a sticky feeling. The pulse soon 
rims ii]) to 80 or 100 or more per minute, and if the temperature 
is taken it will be found to have risen to 103 degrees Fahrenheit, 
or higher. There is usually a cough from the beginning. The 
temperature of the legs and ears is changeable — sometimes hot 
and sometimes cold. The discharge from the nose may be tinged 
with blood, while in others it has a mattery appearance. In this 
disease the ox usually lies down, while the horse always stands, 
usually with his head toward the stable door to get all the fresh 
air possible. By placing the ear to the side of the chest during 
the first stage of the disease a sound is heard quite similar to 
that made by rubbing a lock of hair between the thumb and 
fingers. 

Flapping of the nostrils after a few days' illness is a very had 
sympton; in such cases, usually in the course of four or five days, 
a brownish or rusty-colored discharge may he observed flowing 
from the nose; the eyes take on a peculiar stare, and the patient 
seems to he unconscious of everything going on around him. 
The pulse now becomes Aery quick and weak, body and Legs 
deathly cold; the patient may lie down for a lev minutes, then 
get up, stagger, fall, and rise no more. Death may take place in 
from three to twenty days. 

Pneumonia is not a very fatal disease if taken in time and 
treated properly. 



34 Dr. LeGeab's Stock Bo- :■:-: 

Treatment. — It is very necessary that the patient be kep: b 
comfortable as possible, and plenty of fresh air allowed. If the 
weather is cool or cold, cover the animal with blankets. Hub the 
legs well, and apply woolen bandages to them to keep them warm. 
Give the horse plenty of cold water to drink, and his food should 
be nutritious and easily digesTed. If The fever is nigh and The 
pulse strong, give 15 drops of tincture of aconite every four hours 
as a drench in half a pint of cold water. X ne following should 
be given to keep up the animal's strength: 

Liquor acetate of ammonia ~ i-v-nors. 

Sweet spirits of nitre 2 ounc ;--. 

Alcohol : '.;n >- 

Mix, and give 2 ounce- every four hours in one-half 
pint of cold water. 



One teaspoonful of nitraTe of poTassium should be put in the 
drinking water Twice a day. 

I" is very necessary that applications be applied to the sides, 
such as Dr. LeGear's Liniment, well rubbed in on the ribs Two 
or Three times per day. or a musTard paste may be well rubbed 
into the hair and let remain. Blankets wrung out of hot water 
and applied around the chest are good. Don't give too much 
medicine in this disease. The great object is to keep the animal 
comfortable and keep up his strength with nutritious food and 
stimulants. If The horse don't eat much, raw esrsrs and new milk 
may be given with the medicine to keep up the sTrengrh. L 
The bowels are stive give enemas of warm waTer. When The 
animal begins To improve give "him freely of Dr. LeGear- C : - 
dition Powders s~ Appendix), which is a good Tonic preparation 
to Tone up The sysTem and promote strength and a good appetite. 



Dr. LeGeak's Stock Book. 35 



PLEURISY. 

The chest cavity which contains the heart and lungs is lined 
hy a thin, glistening membrane, called the pleura. It also covers 
the lungs. Inflammation of this membrane is called pleurisy. 

Causes. — Pleurisy is caused by sudden changes in the weather, 
exposure to cold and wet, and by the various conditions which 
-cause pneumonia. Other causes are impure blood, wounds of the 
chest-wall, broken ribs, etc. 

Symptoms. — It begins with a chill, which soon passes off. The 
animal stands stiff, similar to founder, with the fore-legs as far 
apart as possible, and, when compelled to move, he grunts or 
grcans with pain. The breathing is noticed to be done back of 
the ribs (by the abdominal muscles), while the ribs are kept as 
still as possible. On placing the ear to the side of the chest a 
kind of grating sound can be heard, caused by the dry pleural 
membranes rubbing against each other. But in a few days, pos- 
sibly less, the animal stands apparently free from pain, and there 
is no grating sound in the chest; this is a sign that a fluid has 
collected in the chest between the layers of the pleura. Such a 
collection of fluid in the chest-cavity is called hydrothorax, or 
dropsy of the chest. A great amount of fluid may thus be col- 
lected, rendering the case a hopeless one, without any very well 
marked symptoms being observed. Besides these signs, there is 
a cough, an elevation in temperature, and pressure on or between 
the ribs gives rise to considerable pain. 

Treatment. — The general care and comfort of the animal is to 
be about the same as in pneumonia. As there is generally a high 
fever, and a rapid, strong pulse, give 15 drops of tincture of 



36 Dk. LeGear's Stock Book. 

aconite in one-half pint of cold water, as a drench, every four 
hours; or, the following prescription may he given: 

Liquor acetate of ammonia 4 ounces. 

Nitrate of potassium 2 drams. 

Chlorate of potassium -. . . .2 drams. 

Sweet spirits of nitre 1 ounce. 

Mix, and give as a drench every six hours in 1 pint of 
water. 

Dr. LeGear's Liniment should he rubbed in the sides of the 
chest two or three times per day; also, the sides should be bathed 
with hot water, and blankets applied. Mustard paste may be 
rubbed in once or twice. If there is severe pain, it may be re- 
lieved by giving the following: 

Tincture of opium 1 ounce. 

Eaw linseed oil . . '. 8 ounces. 

Mix, and give as a drench. If the bowels are consti- 
pated, give enemas of warm water freely. 

During convalescence, give Dr. LeGear's Condition Powders 
(see Appendix) in the feed as a general tonic and appetizer; also, 
give 1 dram of iodide of potassium in the drinking water morn- 
ing and night for ten days. 

HYDKOTHORAX. 

This is dropsy of the chest; or, in other words, a collection of 
fluid in the cavity of the chest. This condition is a result of 
pleurisy, sometimes resulting from a very mild attack, and even 
in cases where the animal has had the best of care. 

Symptoms. — The symptoms are plain: difficult, short and la- 
bored breathing, and napping of the nostrils. The eye has a 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 37 

peculiar, glassy appearance. The pulse is weak and irregular. 
There is a heaving motion of the flanks. The animal stands per- 
sistently, and soon peculiar swellings appear in the limbs, and 
extend along the belly. Death usually results when a considera- 
ble quantity of water collects in the chest. Perhaps several gal- 
lons of fluid will collect in a few days, and seriously interfere 
with the action of the lungs. 

Treatment. — The great aim in the treatment of this disease is 
to support the animal's system as best we can, so as to cause ab- 
sorption of the fluid in the chest. This may be done by giving 
nutritious, easily digested food and .stimulants. Two ounces of 
sweet nitre and six ounces of whisky can be given as a drench 
every two or four hours in one-half pint of water; or, alcohol, 
ale, wine, etc., may be given. Tapping the chest and drawing off 
the fluid with a suitable instrument can sometimes be done suc- 
cessfully by a qualified veterinary surgeon, but we will not rec- 
ommend the operation here. Give two drams of nitrate of pot- 
assium twice per day, and the best of care must be taken of the 
animal all through, if a recovery is expected. 

THUMPS— SPASM OF THE DIAPHRAGM. 

Thumps, or spasm of the diaphragm, is generally thought to 
be a palpitation of the heart by inexperienced persons. It may 
be as well to state that the heart has nothing to do with it. There 
is a very important muscle (called the diaphragm, or midriff) in 
the body, which separate^ ihe chest-cavity from the abdominal 
(cavity which contains the bowels). Spasms or irregular move- 
ments of this muscular partition in the horse is called the 
"thumps." Thumps in the horse is the same as "hiccoughs" in 
man, although the peculiar noise is not always made in the 
throat of Ihe horse, as in man. 



38 Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 

Causes. — Fast driving, or violent exertion, if the animal is 
not in proper condition. 

Symptoms. — The symptoms are very plain: the breathing is 
difficult, a thumping sound is heard, which affects the whole 
body, and is not confined to the region of the heart, but back 
of it. By placing one hand on the body at about the middle of 
the last rib, and the other one over the heart just behind the left 
elbow, it will be an easy matter to make a distinction between 
the thumping or jerking of the diaphragm and the beating of 
the he-art. 

Treatment. — The treatment should be the same as that given 
for congestion of the lungs. If not relieved, death usually results 
fiom congestion. 

HEAVES— BKOKEX YTIXD— ASTHMA. 

Broken wind is a condition the nature of which is not very well 
understood. Many horsemen wrongfully apply the term to all 
ailments where the breathing is difficult or noisy. It is generally 
accepted to be a derangement of the digestive organs, character- 
ized by difficult and peculiar breathing and the presence of a 
long, deep cough, known as "the broken-winded cough." 

Causes. — Broken wind may be caused by improper feeding of 
some kind, or by a supply of bad food, or bulky or dusty food of 
-any kind, the stomach being kept overloaded with the same. Se- 
vere exertion when the stomach and bowels are full has a ten- 
dency to cause broken wind — that is, when the system is in poor 
condition. A chronic cough from any cause is liable to run into 
heaves. Another cause, and a very reasonable one, is that the 
exciting cause of broken wind is due to an affection of a certain 
nerve — pneumogastric nerve, which sends branches to the lungs, 



De. LeGeak's Stock Book. 3$ 

heart, stomach, etc. It is claimed that coarse or indigestible food 
irritates the branches of these nerves, which supply the walls of 
the stomach, and this irritation is reflected or extended to the 
branches of the same nerves which supply the lungs, when the 
trouble known as broken wind follows. 

Symptoms. — "Heaves" is easily detected by almost every ex- 
perienced horseman. When you have once seen a well-marked 
case, you will always know it. The peculiar, bellows-like move- 
ments of the flanks, and walls of the bell}', point out the ail- 
ment at once. But in mild or recent cases, the affected animal 
does not show the characteristic breathing unless freely exercised 
— running or pulling a heavy load. There is always a peculiar 
cough, which is difficult to describe — the sound is short, very 
deep, and something like a grunt. Indigestion is always present 
in these cases. The animal's appetite is depraved, as shown by 
a desire to eat dirt and soiled bedding, which he often prefers to 
the clean food in the manger. The stomach is liable to be over- 
loaded with indigestible food. The abdomen may assume that 
form ca]led "pot-bellied." The animal frequently passes wind, 
the odor of which is very offensive. Horses with round chests 
are said to be subject to heaves; and, in cases of long standing, 
the chest usually becomes rounder than natural. 

Treatment. — Heaves is a disease, when once well established, 
that can not be cured. All we can do in such cases is to relieve the 
animal for the time being by giving certain remedies, and paying 
strict attention to diet. All the feed given should be free from 
dust, and of the very best quality. All hay, grain and dry feed 
should be dampened, and not very much hay or roughness given. 
It is well enough to give a pretty good feed of hay at night, but 
very little, if any, at noon and in the morning. Always water 
the horse before feeding, and not directly after. Strict attention 
to diet is a great thing in treating heaves. Cases of heaves have 



40 Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 

been cured by bringing horses from the East and North out West, 
and let them feed on the coarse prairie hay. Heavey horses are 
comparatively few in Texas to what they are up North. In the 

early stages, heaves can be cheeked, and in many eases cured, 
by the following: 

Oil of tar 3 ounces. 

Glycerine 1 ounce. 

Fowler's solution of arsenic 3 ounces. 

Fluid extract of belladonna 1 ounce. 

Tincture of opium 1 ounce. 

Eaw linseed oil 3 ounces. 

Mix. and give one tablespoonful every morning and 
night in damp feed. 

Fowler's solution of arsenic given in one tablespoonful doses, 
night and morning, for two or three weeks, is sometimes very 
beneficial. Unscrupulous dealers often give some remedies to 
check the heaves for the time being, which are generally poi- 
sonous, but we will not mention them here, as we don't advocate 
any treatment or remedy that is not honest and fair. 

DISTEMPER— STRANGLES. 

Horse distemper is the common name by which the disease, 
'"strangles," is known. It is a peculiar, eruptive fever of the 
horse, and is a disease that nearly every young horse becomes af- 
fected with. It is oftener seen among young horses and colts, 
but horses at any age may take the disease. It received the- 
name, "strangles," from so many cases in the severe form nearly 
choking or strangling the animal by the formation of a large- 
tumor in the throat. All cases of influenza, sore throat, colds, 
catarrh, etc.. are called distemper by a great many horse owners. 



Dr. LeGtEAr's Stock Book. 



41 



Cause. — Distemper is a contagious disease, and where one case 
breaks out or is introduced into a herd of horses, nearly all are 
generally affected. During some seasons, it takes on a very 
dangerous and fatal form, while again it is very mild, the animals 
recovering Avithout much inconvenience or loss of flesh. 




A Case of Strangles. 



Symptoms. — Before the disease really breaks out, the animal 
is for a feAV days generally off its feed, AA'eak, and languid, and 
easily exhausted. A slight cough may be noticed, and the animal 
shows some trouble in swallowing. In a regular case, there is 
noticed in a few days a swelling forming in connection with the 
throat, or under the loAver jaw. These swellings may be small, 
or may become very large, making it almost impossible for a 
horse to breathe or swallow. The animal will have more or less 
fever, and in some cases becomes very weak, languid, and dull. 
In the irregular form of .strangles, the swellings may form in the 
bieast, in the groin, among the boA\-els, in connection with the 
liver, spleen, lungs, etc., and is a more dangerous form of the 
disease. The swelling in the throat may break, and run matter 
out of the nose, or down the windpipe, and cause strangulation 



42 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 



of the animal. Distemper runs a certain course, its duration 
generally being from eight to twelve days, but it may last for 
several weeks. 



Treatment. — As this disease has a certain course to run, there 
shouldn't be anything given to check it; but we 'should support 
the animal's system by giving soft, easily digested, nourishing 
food, and medicines to purify the blood. The animal should be 
protected from cold rains and "northers," and have comfort and 
gcod care generally. Give what fresh, cool water the animal will 
drink, into which dissolve 1 dram of chlorate of potassium, morn- 




Fig. 4. Tracheotomy Tube. 

ing and night. Also, give one teaspoonful of our Condition 
Powders, morning and night, to purify the blood, and keep up 
the animal's strength. Bathe the swelling in the throat two or 
three times a day thoroughly with our Liniment, to draw it to a 
head. It may be well to apply a hot poultice, and, after remov- 
ing it, then apply the Liniment. As soon as the swelling be- 
comes soft, it should be opened freely with a . sharp lance, to 
allow the matter to escape. Syringe out the cavity with a weak 
solution of carbolic acid for a few days, and it will soon heal. 
Sometimes these swellings in the throat become so large that 
the horse can't breathe, and it becomes necessary to perform the 
operation of tracheotomy (putting a tube in the throat to breathe 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 43 

through. (See Fig. 4.) This is a very delicate operation, and 
we wouldn't advise any but a qualified veterinarian to perform it. 
Some people entertain the very foolish idea that a horse doesn't 
need any medicine or special care while he has the distemper. 
Thit is ver}^ wrong. It is not so much the distemper that is dan- 
gerous, but it is the other diseases that are liable to attack the 
body, while it is weak, and the blood bad from the distemper. 
So many horses that are not treated for the distemper are left 
with a chronic cough, catarrh, enlarged glands, thick wind, roar- 
ing, etc. It is true that a great many cases of distemper look very 
mild, but they are worse than they look, and all are bad enough. 
By all means, give your horse some special care and treatment, 
and, if you don't do anything else, give him some of our Condi- 
tion Powders, night and morning, in damp feed, according to 
directions. We don't claim that our Powders are a specific for 
the distemper; in fact, there is no medicine that will check it, 
and keep it from running its course, without endangering the 
animal; but we do claim that they will purify the blood, strength- 
en the system, and help the animal throw off the disease. They 
are all the medicine that is necessary to give in the majority of 
cases. 

PINK-EYE— EPIZOOTIC CELLULITIS. 

This is a disease of the horse that resembles influenza to a cer- 
tain extent, but it is a distinct disease of itself. It is properly 
known as "Epizootic cellulitis," as it is a contagious disease and 
affects principally the cellular tissues of the body. 

Causes. — This disease is due to a contagion or germs that are 
carried in the air from sick to healthy animals. The germs will 
remain in the stable or sheds, where the disease has been, for a 
considerable length of time, and infect healthy horses or mules 
that are brongh in there. The exact nature of these germs is not 



44 Dr. LeGeae"s Stock Book. 

as yet thoroughly understood, but it is without any doubt an epi- 
zootic (contagious) disease, as it has been known to spread over 
large districts in a short time. 

Symptoms. — The first symptom that attracts attention is a 
watery discharge from the eyes, and a reddened or pinkish color 
of the conjunctiva (lining of the eye) is -een at the same time. 
The animal appears dull, has a weak pulse, and high tempera- 
ture. The eyelids become swollen and discharge a white-colored 
matter. The legs become swollen and the swelling may extend 
along the belly. The bowels become constipated and the urine 
scanty. The body is hot all over, and the animal lays down most 
of the time. 

Treatment. — As a general thing the treatment for pink-eye 
is quite successful, except in some very severe forms. Xever 
bleed or physic an animal with pink-eye. Give 2 drams of 
nitrate of potash two or three times a day. Give the animal 
plenty of cold water to drink. If the animal is weak, give stimu- 
lants, as sweet nitre, whisky, etc. Keep the animal in a com- 
fortable place, and give soft, easily digested food. If the bowel- 
are constipated, give one-half pint of raw linseed oil as a laxative. 
Bathe the eyes well with water two or three times per day. Good 
care, a comfortable place, with fresh air and water and easily 
digested food, are of £Teat benefit in this disease. 

IXFLUEXZA— EPIZOOTIC— LA GRIPPE. 

Tin- is a disease that attacks all the domesticated animals as 
Avell as man. and has been known for ages past. It is a con- 
tagious and an infectious disease, but during certain seasons and 
in certain localities it takes on a much more fatal form. There 
was a very serious and fatal outbreak of this disease in the United 
States druing the year 1ST - -?. It killed over 75 per cent of the 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 45 

horses and mules in many cities and localities. In some of the 
large cities not a horse could be seen on the streets for weeks at 
a time — all the teaming being done with oxen. This disease 
prevails nearly every winter and spring, but not in a very fatal 
form as a general thing. Nearly every person can remember, to 
their sorrow, how the la grippe raged all through this country 
among people last winter and spring. It is nearly the identical 
disease that attacks the horse, so you will know how to sympa- 
thize with your faithful servant the horse when he has the 
"grippe." 

Causes. — It, without a doubt, originates from some atmos- 
pheric influence, and when once started spreads through the air 
and is caught by well horses coming in contact with sick ones. 
The germs or contagion may be carried on the clothing of people 
from one stable to another. A case is on record where the disease 
was conveyed three miles across water, either through the air or 
on the clothing of people, as no animals were taken on to the 
island for three months previous to the outbreak of the disease. 
It is seen more frequently and in a worse form in crowded, poorly 
ventilated stables, and it is more fatal in large cities than in the 
country. Colts and old horses are easier victims to the disease 
than middle-aged, healthy horses. One thing that makes influ- 
enza such a fatal disease is the other diseases that follow it, as 
pneumonia, bronchitis, rheumatism, heart troubles, etc. 

Symptoms. — In the early stages of the disease there is general 
weakness, dullness, watery eyes, a watery discharge from the nose 
which turns to matter, a cough, etc. The pulse and temperature 
run up sometimes very high,and the animal loses its appetite. The 
symptoms, instead of improving in two or three days, as in ca- 
tarrh or cold, get worse, and the animal becomes a great sufferer. 
The throat is sore, the cough is painful, the breathing labored 
and fast, and the animal shows all si^ns of weakness and sore- 



46 De. LeGeak's Stock Book. 

ness. These symptoms may continue on to death or they may 
abate in five or eight days and the animal begin to improve. Any 
of the complications, as king troubles, kidney troubles, heart 
troubles, brain troubles, etc., may set in at any time. 

Treatment. — Bleeding, physicing, or any treatment that has 
a tendency to weaken the animal should not be practiced. As 
the disease now appears, it is in a form that can generally be 
treated successfully. As it is a fever that has a certain course to 
run, we must adopt a form of treatment to help nature throw off 
the disease, and support the animal while the disease is running 
its course. We must never try to cut the disease short, as that 
is dangerous to the animal. Keep the animal in a comfortable 
place and allow plenty of fresh air and water and what easily 
digested food the animal will eat. If the weather is cold, blanket 
the animal, and hand-rub and bandage the legs. Give one 
dram of nitrate of potash three times a day, either in feed, drink- 
ing water, or put it on the tongue with a large spoon. Give this 
regular for two or three days, then give one dram of chlorate of 
potash three times per day for a few days. Give whisky, alcohol, 
and sweet nitre, to keep up the animal's strength. Bathe the 
throat well with our Liniment (see Appendix) twice a day to re- 
move the soreness. Steaming the head by the use of hot water 
and a little carbolic acid is beneficial. If the bowels are con- 
stipated give one-half pint of raw linseed oil as a drench and 
give injections of warm water. 

In mild cases our Condition Powders (see Appendix) is all the 
medicine that is necessary to give, and in all cases give our 
Powders after the severe symptoms have passed. 

If any other disease sets in, treat it according to the treatment 
given in another part of this book. 



Dk. LeGear's Stock Book. 47 

CHAPTER VI. 

THE DIGESTIVE ORGANS. 

The principal organs of digestion are the teeth, stomach, and 
bowels. Mastication takes place by the teeth, .which is the first 
,step toward the process -of digestion. A horse has 40 teeth, a 
mare 36, a cow 32, a dog 42, and a pig 44 teeth. The canine 
teeth, or tushes, are seldom developed in the mare. Cattle have 
no upper front teeth, there being nothing but a tough pad of 
gristle in the place of teeth. The teeth of a horse need a great 
deal of attention — far more than they get. A horse, dog and 
pig each have but one stomach, while cattle, sheep and goats each 
have four stomachs. The capacity of a horse's stomach averages 
three and a half to four gallons, a cow's from forty-five to fifty 
gallons, and the dog's one to three quarts. The length of a 
horse's bowels is about 100 feet, while a cow's is about 150 feet. 
The horse's bowels although shorter than a cow's are larger in 
capacity. It is estimated that three-fourths of the horses that 
die, die of some disease of the stomach or bowels, and in a ma- 
jority of cases it is caused by faulty feeding or watering. There- 
fore, it is very important that every horse owner should have a 
thorough knowledge of the proper way to feed and water. Below 
will be found all the diseases of the digestive organs, briefly de- 
scribed. 

DENTITION. 

This covers the period during which the young horse is cutting 
his teeth — from birth to the age of five years. The horse expe- 
riences more difficulty in cutting the second, or permanent, teeth 
than with the first, or milk teeth. Too little attention is paid to 



48 Dr. LeGeae's Stock Book. 

the teeth of young horses by farmers and stock raisers. The 
months of all horses between the ages of one and five years should 
hi frequently examined, to see if one or more of the milk teeth 
are not remaining too long, causing the second teeth to grow in 
crocked, in which case the first teeth should be removed by the 
forceps. During the time the animal is shedding a tooth, he may 
or may not eat well, often cuds his food, and wastes more or less 
of it The gums are found, on examination, to be red, swollen, 
and very tender. The irritation of the gums may extend to and 
involve the stomach and bowels, giving rise to constipation, diar- 
rhoea, etc. Allow the animal to have soft food, of a laxative and 
nutritious character. 

TEETH. 

The teeth of a horse, the principal organs of mastication, are 
a very important part of his body, and should have proper atten- 
tion when diseased or improperly shed. A horse has forty teeth, 
and a mare 36, the tusks being seldom developed in a mare. The 
teeth are of three classes, consisting of molars, or grinders; in- 
cisors, or front teeth; and tusks, or canine teeth. The horse, like 
other animals, is provided with two sets of teeth: temporary or 
colt teeth, and permanent or horse teeth. There are twenty-four 
temporary teeth, twelve grinders and twelve front teeth. The 
permanent teeth are forty in number, consisting of twenty-four 
grinders, twelve front teeth, and four tusks, except in mares, who 
seldom have fully developed tusks. 

A colt, at birth, generally has twelve temporary grinders, and 
four incisors or front teeth — two above and two below, in the 
nr'ddle. The name for the two middle front teeth on each jaw 
is the nippers; the next two, one on each side of the nippers, the 
lateral incisors; and the outside ones, the corner teeth. At from 
six to nine weeks, a colt cuts its lateral incisors, and at the age 
of about nine months the corner teeth appear. The temporary 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 49 

incisor teeth differ from the permanent ones by being smaller in 
size, having a prominent neck, and much whiter appearance. 
The first permanent grinder, the fourth on the jaw, comes 
through when the colt is about one year old; and at about 
eighteen months old the second grinder, the fifth on each side 
of each jaw, comes through. At about two and one-half years 
of age, the colt sheds its nippers, middle front teeth, and the first 
two on each jaw of its grinders, and they are all taken place by 
permanent teeth. Between three and four years, the colt sheds 
its lateral front teeth, and the third temporary grinder, and they 
are taken place by permanent teeth; also, at about this age, the 
sixth permanent grinder comes through. Therefore, a colt, at 
four years of age, has a full set of permanent grinders. Between 
four and five, he sheds his corner incisors and gets the permanent 
ones, and at about this time the tusks come through, making a 
horse at five years of age have a "full mouth." 

AGE OF A HORSE. 

How to tell the age of a horse is something that must be ac- 
quired by practice, and not theory alone. Most any one can 
learn, by a little study and practice, how to detect the age up to 
six or eight years in most cases, but beyond this age is very much 
harder to tell accurately; in fact, no one can tell within one or 
two years after a horse has passed the age of ten years. If all 
hcrses had a uniform wear and growth of the teeth, it would be 
a great deal easier to tell the exact age, but different breeds of 
horses, and different kinds of food, greatly change the wear and 
shape of the teeth. Hard, gritty food wears the teeth much faster 
than soft food, free from ,sand and other gritty substances. A 
horse's teeth are continually growing and wearing off, no matter 
how old the horse. It is estimated that they grow one inch in 
about ten or twelve years. 



50 Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 

By carefully reading over the remarks on "The Teeth," it can 
be easily seen how to tell a horse's age up to five years. By look- 
ing at the wearing surface of a horse's front teeth at five years 
old ; you will notice a depression, called the cup or mark. It is 
by watching the wear and disappearance of this cup that we are 
enabled to indicate the age up to eleven or twelve years. At 
about six years, the cups will be worn out of the nippers on the 
lcwer jaw, and at seven years the cups will be worn out of the 
lateral incisors of the lower jaw; and at eight, it will disappear 
fiom the corner teeth of the same jaw. Therefore, at the age of 
eighty the wearing surfaces of the lower row are perfectly smooth; 
also, about this time there will be noticed a little hook-like pro- 
jection on each of the upper corner incisors. At about the age 
of nine years, the cups disappear from the middle front teeth of 
the upper jaw; at about ten, they are worn out of the upper 
lateral incisors; and about eleven, they are all perfectly smooth. 
Th<"' foregoing is the general rule to go by, but, of course, there 
are certain cases that vary a great deal from that rule. There 
are certain signs and rules to go by to tell the age of a horse above 
twelve years, but they are not very reliable. The front teeth of 
a young horse are wider from side to side, but in an old horse 
they become wider from before backwards. Some dishonest 
dealers cup an old horse's teeth to make him look young, but 
thi- can be easily detected by looking at the general form and 
appearance of the teeth. A crib-bitter may be known by the 
peculiar appearance of his teeth, which are worn anel broken off 
in front. In such a horse, it is hard to tell the age. 

SHARP AND PROJECTING TEETH. 

As a horse advances in age the teeth usually wear down in an 
irregular manner. This is better understood when we know' 
that the grinders (molars) of the upper jaw do not come di- 
rectly opposite to those of the lower jaw. Consequently sharp 



Dr. LeGeae's Stock Book. 



51 




Fig. 5. Dunn's Float in use on the Molars. 



points are formed on the outer part of the upper molars, which 
lacerate and cut the cheeks when chewing the food, and similar 
points on the inner side of the lower ones, which cut and bruise 
the tongue. These ragged edges would not form if the upper 
grinders were directly opposed to the lower grinders. Horses' 
teeth should he examined occasionally to ascertain whether any 
such points are causing the animal any trouble. On passing the 
hand into the mouth the sharp and projecting points can be felt 
with the fingers, and on examining closer the tongue and cheeks 
are seen to be sore and lacerated. The mouth speculum, or 
balling iron (Fig. 8), may be necessary in some cases when it is 
desired to make a thorough examination of all the teeth. The 
animal eats but little, on account of the great pain caused by 
chewing his food, which is cudcled and wasted to a great ex- 
tent. Nor does the animal drive as well as usual, being slow to 
answer the rein, and may while traveling carry his head to one 
side, consequently being hard to keep straight in the road. 

When these sharp projections are found, it is necessary to re- 
move them. The best instrument for this purpose is a tooth- 
rasp (Fig. 6), after which the animal should bo fed for a few 



52 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 



days on soft food; nothing more is necessary unless the animal 
is ran down in condition. If so, give one teaspoonfnl of Dr. 
Le Gear's Condition Powders morning and night in damp feed. 




Fig. 6. Tooth-Rasp or Float. 




Fig. 7a. Haussmann's Lever Open Molar Cutters, for cutting off large, 

projecting teeth. 




Fig. 7b. Haussmann's Lever Closed Molar Cutters, for cutting small, 

projecting teeth. 



LOXG PKOJECTIXG TEETH. 



This is a very common condition, and is found most common y 
in connection with the first grinder of the upper jaw, 
and the last grinders of the lower jaw. It constitutes 
quite a serious condition, and more especially is this the 
case when the sixth (last) grinder of the lower jaw is the one at 
fault. It gives rise to quidding of the food, imperfect chewing, 



De. LeGear's Stock Book. 53 

loss of condition, etc. A projecting tooth is one that grows longer 
than the other teeth on account of the opposite tooth immediate- 
ly over or under it becoming decayed or having been pulled out, 
consequently the tooth meeting with no resistance grows out 
longer than is natural, and causes much pain and irritation. 

When a long projecting tooth is found, it becomes necessary 
to reduce it to a level with the other teeth. The best instrument 
for this purpose is a pair of molar cutters (Figs. 7a, 7b), after 
which file or! the roughness with a tooth-rasp. Then feed the 
animal on soft feed for a few days, and in the course of ten days 
or a fortnight he will have improved to such an extent as to be 
hardly recognizable as the same horse. But at the same time 
don't fail to give in the feed Dr. LeGear's Condition Powders. 

In all cases where horses "quid" their food, where they are 
slobbering, or where they show pain in chewing the food, shown 
by holding their head to one side, the teeth should be carefully 
examined, 

DECAYED TEETH. 

This is indicated by gradual decay or wasting away of the 
tooth-substance in small particles. It is quite a common condi- 
tion, especially in connection with the grinders (back teeth), 
although none of the teeth are free from the trouble. Decay 
may commence in any part of the tooth. It is by no means as 
common in the lower animals as in man, on account of people 
eating so many sweets, etc., which have a bad effect on the teeth. 

Causes. — Decayed teeth may arise from a great many differ- 
ent causes, but the mo.st common cause is some injury to the 
tooth, caused by taking into the mouth with the food some hard 
substance, as a piece of iron, pebble, etc., which during the act 
of chewing comes into contact with the tooth, breaks its cover 



54 



Dr. LeG-ear's Stock Book. 




T'ig. 8. Haussmann's Mouth Speculum, used to open the mouth for work on the teeth, 

and for examining the mouth. 



ing, and decay quickly follows. A severe blow on the jaw might 
also produce decay of the teeth. 

Symptoms. — It may be noticed that the animal has some diffi- 
culty in chewing his food, and frequently while eating stops and 
throws up his head as though suffering severe pain. While drink- 
ing cold water he may stop and hold the head to one side, etc. 
The above are general symptoms when the crown of the tooth 
is decayed. When the root of the tooth alone is diseased, the 
symptoms are quite different. Then a swelling appears on 
the face at the side the diseased tooth is on and directly over the 
decayed tooth. It is the prevailing idea among horsemen that if 
a horse has a swelling on his face they say he has "blind teeth.*' 
He may have blind teeth, but they seldom if ever injure a horse. 
Blind teeth, properly known as Wolf Teeth, are little peg-like 
teeth, situated one in front of each upper grinder, and are gen- 
erally harmless. (See Fig. 9a, page 56.) 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 55 

We often hear it said that "blind teeth" grow or come out 
through the bones on the face. That is an erroneous idea, and 
is as foolish as it is absurd. Such a thing never happens. "What 
causes the swelling on the face is the matter which inflames the 
bone and causes it to bulge out. When the matter becomes abund- 
ant enough it will burst through the bone and skin and cause a 
r i Qining, sore. When there is a cavity from the grinding surface of 
tne tooth all the way up to the root, the matter will escape into 
the mouth and not form an enlargement. The above is regard- 
ing the grinders on the upper jaw. When the roots only of one 
of the lower grinders become decayed it forms an enlargement 
on the lower border of the jaw; in the same way the enlarge- 
ment is formed on the upper jaw. If an enlargement is seen on a 
colt or right young horse it is generally due to the caps (colt 
teeth) not being properly shed. Very often the matter from a 
diseased upper grinder will break into the nostril instead of on 
the face, and forms a running at the nose of a very offensive 
smelling matter. If the crown of the tooth is decayed and the 
matter runs into the mouth you can smell a very offensive odor 
every time you open his mouth or put on the bridle. 

Treatment. — As the art of filling teeth in the lower animals 
can not as yet be successfully done, the only remedy for a de- 
cayed tooth is to remove it. This is generally done by means of 
tooth forceps made especially for such work. Figure 9 is a pair 
of forceps for pulling the molars or grinders from horses. Figure 
8 is a speculum for opening the mouth to see which tooth is de- 
cayed and where to place the forceps for its extraction. It is 
generally advisable to throw a horse for this operation. After 
the horse is secured, put on the speculum, grasp the tooth firmly 
with the molar extractor (forceps) and by using steady force you 
may be able to remove the tooth. Unless the whole tooth is de- 
cayed and loosened it will be found a big job to pull an upper 
grinder in most of cases. A little wooden block may be placed 



56 



De. LeGear's Stock Book. 




Fig. 9a, Wolf Tooth Forceps, for pulling Wolf Teeth (blind teeth). 




Fig. 9. Molar Extractors. 




Fig. 10. Handle for Molar Extractors and Cutters. 



on the sound teetli in front of the one to be pulled which will 
serve as a lever by which extra power can be obtained. If the 
crown of the tooth is decayed so there is no hold for the forceps, 
or if the tooth is implanted in the jaw too solid to be pulled, it 
may be removed by trephining and punching it out. This opera- 
tion is done by cutting the skin on the face and exposing the bone 
over the roots of the teeth. Then bore through the bone by 
using the trephine (Fig. 3), and with a steel punch about three- 
eighths size drive the tooth into the mouth. If colts fail to shed 
their colt teeth, they should be pulled before they interfere with 
the growth of the permanent teeth. 



Dr. LeGeae's Stock Book. 57 



PARROT MOUTH. 

Parrot-mouth is a condition in which the incisors (front teeth) 
of the upper jaw project further forward than those of the lower 
jaw, and, when the mouth is shut, the upper incisors pass down 
in fiont of those in the lower jaw. A horse with this deformity 
does not do very well at pasture, for the simple reason that he 
cs.n not gather sufficient grass to keep him in good condition. 
But, feeding from the manger, he does very well, except when 
fed on ear corn, in which case he experiences considerable diffi- 
culty in getting the grain off the cob. About all that can be 
dene is to keep both the upper and lower incisor teeth shortened 
by means of the rasp (Fig. 6), to prevent contact with, and 
injury to, the soft tissues. 

UNDERSHOT. 

This is just the opposite from parrot-mouth. It is a deformity 
in which the under jaw is longer than the upper jaw; conse- 
quently, the front teeth do not meet. The only thing to be done 
is to cut or rasp off the front teeth when they get too long. 

LAMPAS. 

Lampas, or more commonly called lampers, is the name given 
to a swelling of the membrane covering the roof of the mouth 
just behind the front teeth. Animals between the ages of three 
and five years are most subject to it. On examination of the 
mouth, the gums and rings of the hard palate, just behind the 
upper front teeth, are found to be unnaturally reddened and 
swollen, the animal objecting very much to having the parts 
pressed upon, showing that the parts are very sore. Many horses 



58 De. LeGeab's Stock Book. 

have naturally very prominent gums, etc., but unless the parts 
are reddened, sore and tender, it is not lampas, although the 
parts are just as much enlarged as in a case of lampas. 

Treatment. — Unless it is a genuine case of lampas. let it aione, 
as you will do more harm than good. Where the parts are in- 
flamed and tender, with a sharp lance or a pocket-knife make 
several shallow cuts across the first two bars in the roof of the 
mouth. The cuts must he made in front of the third bar, and 
made very shallow, as you are liable to cut an important blood 
vessel. Under no conditions burn the parts with a red-hot iron, 
as this is cruel and barbarous to say the least. After bleeding 
in the month, apply alum water to the parts once or twice a 
day. There is nothing better, though, than Dr. LeGear's Heal- 
ing Lotion for such purposes. Feed on soft feed for a few days, 
anc 1 lay the animal off work, if possible, as the presence of the 
bit in the mouth will keep up irritation. 

APHTHAE— SOEE MOUTH. 

This is an inflammation of the mouth; the eruptions are usual- 
ly seen about the lips and tongue. 

Causes. — Irritating medicines, foods, or other .substances, will 
prcduce it. 

Symptoms. — There is a swelling of the parts, little blisters are 
formed, and the mouth is found to be hot and tender; the appe- 
tite is partly or wholly lost, and there is difficulty in chewing. 

Treatment. — Change the food and give a laxative: as, raw lin- 
seed oil, 1 pint; powdered gentian, 2 drams: carbonate of soda, 4 
drams; Mix, and give as a drench. Swab out the mouth with 



Dk. LeG-ear's Stock Book. 59 

chlorate of potash, borax, or alum, about one-half ounce in a pint 
of water. Feed on soft food, as, bran mashes, chops, etc., and 
dampen all the fodder you give him. 

PTYALLSM, OR SLOBBERING. 

This consists of an excessive secretion of saliva (spittle) from 
the mouth. 

Causes. — It may be caused by irregular teeth, inflammation of 
the mouth or tongue, or by such medicines as mercury, lobelia, 
etc. Foreign bodies, as nails, wheat-chaff, and corn cobs, be- 
coming lodged in the mouth, will cause it, a,s well as certain 
kirds of food. 

Treatment. — Ascertain the cause of the trouble, and remove 
it. Change the food, and feed the animal some of our Condition 
Powders. Wash the mouth out with alum water in case of sore- 
ness. 

CHOKING. 

Choking is the name applied to the trouble where an animal 
gets some object, or portion of unmasticated food, lodged in the 
oesophagus (gullet). Cattle are more frequently troubled with 
choking than horses. Greedy eaters very often take too much 
into their mouths at once, and try to swallow it without properly 
grinding it; therefore, the food — a potato, an apple, a. turnip, an 
car of corn, a cob, shelled oats, or whatever it may be — becomes 
lodged in the gullet by being too large to pass into the stomach. 

Symptoms. — The animal makes continued efforts to swallow, 
and may have spasms of pain while doing so. Slobbering at the 
5 



60 De. LeGeab's Stock Book. 

mouth is abundant, and there may be coughing. If the animal 
attempts to drink, the water runs out through his nose. In cat- 
tle, there is always more or less bloating (accumulation of gas in 
the stomach). If the substance is in the throat, or lodged in the 
gullet between the throat and breast, it can generally be plainly 
felt from the outside. After the object has been lodged in the 
gullet for one or two days, swelling and inflammation sets in and 
causes great pain to the animal. 

Treatment. — If the obstruction is in the throat, it may be 
worked out by pressing and kneading at it from the outside: or it 
may be removed with the hand, by passing it into the mouth: the 
latter being held open by the mouth speculum. If it is below 
the throat, a probang (Fig. 11) may be used to gently force 



Fig. 11. Probang, used, in choking, in horses and cattle. 

it on into the stomach. The probang is a pliable leather tube, 
six feet long, with a knob on the end to press on the object. The 
probang is also hollow, through which a little oil can be poured 
for the purpose of softening the object and making it more 
easily moved. In place of a probang. a pliable whalebone whip 
may be used. Xever run a broom-stick or hoe-handle down an 
animal's throat, for you will surely injure the gullet and kill the 
animal. A gag or speculum can be put on the animal to keep 
it from biting the probang. If taken in time, the probang. 
properly used, will generally relieve the animal in a few minutes: 
but, if let go until the gullet becomes swollen and inflamed, it is 
cfien a very difficult job to unchoke the animal. In cattle, you 
can let out the gas through the hollow probang by letting it re- 
main in the stomach for a minute or two after the obstruction is 
removed. A probang is something that every towu or community 
ought to have for the benefit of the public, where there is no 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 61 

veterinary surgeon. If the obstruction is lodged between the 
throat and breast, and can't be dislodged with the probang, it 
may be cut down upon and removed. This is a delicate opera- 
tion, and seldom proves successful, except when performed by a 
qualified veterinary surgeon. The hole in the gullet must be 
tightly sewed up, also the muscles and skin, by separate stitches. 
An animal should be fed on soft, wet food for several days after 
a bad case of choking. 

RESULTS OF CHOKING. 

Choking may result in rupture, stricture, or dilalation of the 
oesophagi!? (gullet), but, as little can be done for these condi- 
tions, we will not describe them. 

BOTS— LARVAE OF THE GAD-FLY. 

Bots are of two kinds: the stomach bot, which infests the 
horse's stomach during development; and the fundament bot, 
which is found in the rectum (last gut), anus, etc. 

It is surprising what erroneous ideas are entertained amongst 
most horse owners, and even some "horse doctors," about bots. 
As every obscure lameness in the foot is supposed to be in the 
shoulder, so when a horse is taken sick with abdominal pain, 
nine times out of ten it is laid to bots. If he turns up his upper 
lip, looks at his side, paws and rolls, or shows any uneasiness, 
it is taken as a sure sign of bots. 

Bots as a rule are harmless parasites, seldom if ever producing 
any mischief, and they are found in the stomach of almost every 
horse that dies, sometimes in great numbers, adhering to its 
coats. 

One of the best authorities on the subject is Oobbold. who 
writes as follows: 



62 Dk. LeGeak's Stock Book. 

"The common gad-fly (Gastropilius equi) attacks the animal 
while grazing late in the summer, its object being, not to derive 
sustenance, but to deposit its eggs. This is accomplished by 
means of a glutinous excretion, causing the ova (egg) to ad- 
here to the hairs. The parts selected are chiefly those of the 
shoulder, base of the neck, and inner part of the forelegs, espe- 
cially about the knees, for in these situations the horse will have 
no difficulty in reaching the ova with its tongue. When the 
animal licks those parts of the coat where the eggs have been 
placed, the moisture of the tongue, aided by warmth, hatches the 
ova, and in something less than three weeks from the deposition 
of the eggs the larvae have made their escape. As maggots they 
are transferred to the mouth, and ultimately to the stomach, with 
food and drink. A great many larvae perish during this passive 
mode of immigration, some being dropped from the mouth and 
others being crushed in the fodder during mastication. It has 
been calculated that out of the many hundreds of eggs deposited 
on a single horse scarcely one out of fifty of the larvae arrive 
within the stomach. Notwithstanding this waste the interior of 
the stomach may become completely covered (cuticular portion) 
with bots. Whether there be few or many they are anchored in 
this situation chiefly by means of two large cephalic hooks. After 
the bots have attained perfect growth they voluntarily loosen 
their hold and allow themselves to be carried along the aliment- 
ary canal until they escape with the feces. In all cases they 
sooner or later fall to the ground, and when transferred to the 
soil they bury themselves beneath the surface in order to undergo 
transformation into the pupa condition. Having remained in 
the earth for a period of six or seven weeks they finally emerge 
from their pupal-cocoons as perfect dipterous (winged) insects — 
the gad-fly. It thus appears that bots ordinarily pass about eight 
months of their lifetime in the digestive organs of the horse." 

It is very common to hear bystanders declare, when a horse is 
suffering from what is commonly called colic, "that the horse 



Dk. LeGeak's Stock Book. 63 

has the hots," and their suggested treatment is always varied 
and heroic. It is true, we have good reason to believe that they 
could cause serious trouble, as claimed by some veterinary sur- 
geons, by blocking up the passages, but these instances are so 
rare that such cases are not seen in a lifetime. At post- 
mortem examinations, when the stomach is found to be ruptured, 
the opinion, frequently expressed, that "the bots have eaten 
through the stomach," is aa*ain a mistake. Bots seldom or never 
do this; the rupture is due to over-distention of the viscus with 
food or gases. 

Bots may, and probably do, when in large enough numbers to 
be attached to the true digestive portion of the stomach, slightly 
interfere with digestion; the animal may not thrive, the coat 
stares, and emaciation may follow; but beyond this, with a few 
exceptions already noted, they are harmless. Even if they were 
the cause of the trouble, there are no medicines which will loosen 
them from their attachments and cause them to pass out of the 
body. 

Treatment. — It is useless to give treatment in order to loosen 
the bots from their attachments, as they will go their allotted 
time, loosen themselves, and pass out in spring or early summer. 
Horse owners, noticing them in the manure, unhesitatingly say 
that his horse "has the bots." 

WORMS. (INTESTINAL.) 

Worms that infest the horse are of many kinds, and may be 
found in almost every part of the body, but the ones we shall 
refer to are found in the stomach and bowels. They arc most 
common in young horses, especially those that are weak and un- 
thrifty; or those thai graze on low, wet or marshy pastures. We 
shall speak of but a few of the most common ones: First, the 
Lumbricoid, which infests principally the small intestines, is 



64 Dk. LeGeab's Stock Book. 

white or reddish in color, and measures from four to twelve 
inches in length. Some have been seen that were nearly thirty 
inches long. It resembles the common earth worm, being thick- 
est at the middle and tapering at the ends. Second, the pin- 
worm, fonnd principally in the large intestines, is another com- 
mon variety of worms. It is a thread-like worm, and is but one 
or two inches long. The third variety is the tape-worm; and 
when once seen is easily recognized. It is white, flat, broad and 
jointed, and sometimes measures from twenty to thirty feet. Its 
head is found at the smaller end of the worm. 

Symptoms. — The surest sign, and one that most people depend 
upon, is the passage of worms in the horse's dung. Other im- 
portant symptoms are slight colicy pains, rubbing of the tail or 
rump, depraved appetite shown by eating dirt, licking the walls, 
and being particularly fond of salt: the horse becomes poor, does. 
not shed his coat, is hide-bound and pot-bellied. Some place 
much dependence upon turning up of the upper lip; while others 
declare that when we see a dried whitish substance adhering 
around the anu,?, worms are present. 

Treatment. — In preparing our TTorm Eemedy, we were very 
careful that we pin in it medicines that would act on and kill all 
kinds of stomach and bowel worms: therefore, in ordinary ca,s3S, 
all that is necessary to give- is one te-aspoonful of Dr. LeGear's 
Yi'orrn Eemedy (see Appendix) night and morning in bran mash 
or other soft, damp feed, for about ten clays or two weeks. It : : s 
advisable to give bran mashes freely, as bran is a laxative and 
easily digested, and is beneficial in the treatment of worms. If 
in bad cases the Worm Eemedy fails to rid the horse of all J he 
worms, give the following physic after you have given the TTcrrn 
Remedy for ten days: 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 65 

Powdered Barbadoes aloes 6 drams. 

Powdered ginger 3 drams. 

Calomel 2 drams. 

Turpentine 1J ounces. 

Raw linseed oil 8 ounces. 

Mix, and give as a drench. 

The Worm Remedy will kill the worms, and the above physic 
will drive them out. If pin-worms are present, it is well to give 
the horse an injection of warm water every day for four or five 
days, to which add one ounce of turpentine to every gallon of 
water. The turpentine has a tendency to kill the little worms 
lodged away back in the rectum. You may inject tobacco water 
instead of the turpentine. Our Worm Eemedy is sure death to 
the worms, but perfectly harmless to the hor.se. It not only kills 
the worms, but it aids the horse's digestion, tones up his stomach 
and bowels, purifies his blood, and builds up his whole system in 
general 

INDIGESTION", OR DYSPEPSIA. 

Indigestion in the hor.se is similar to that in man. This is an 
age of dyspeptics in man, and would be, no doubt, in the horse 
wer( he fed on similar "dainties," prepared by the good wife to 
suit our highly cultivated tastes. Happily for the horse, that is 
not so! Indigestion may be applied to all those conditions, from 
any cause, where digestion is improperly performed, and not pro- 
nounced enough to produce colic. 

The seat and causes of indigestion vary considerably in different 
horses, and may vary in the same horse at different times. One of 
the first things to examine is the teeth. If these are sharp, ir- 
regular or decayed, the food is improperly masticated (chewed), 
and taken into the stomach before there lias been a proper ad- 
mixture of saliva (spittle). Food in ibis condition is anything 



66 Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 

but fit for the organs of digestion to act upon. The bile (fluid 
secreted by the liver) may be deficient in quantity or quality; 
there may be lack of secretion of the pancreas; or there may be 
lack of perstaltic (worm-like) movement of the stomach and in- 
testines, which is very essential to the passage of the ingesta. 
Other causes are, wintering on hard, dry hay or corn stalks, or 
any bulky or innutritive food; irregular feeding or over-feeding, 
though the latter is more liable to cause engorged stomach. 

Symptoms. — It is characterized by an irregular appetite, which 
is often depraved: refusing food at times, and at others eating 
ravenously; his depravity is shown by eating wood, dirt, soiled 
bedding, or even his own feces; to-day the bowels may be loose 
and bad smelling, to-morrow bound; grain often passes whole in 
the dung. The animal loses flesh, the skin becomes hard and 
d v y y and seems very tight (hide-bound). 

Treatment. — If the teeth are sharp or irregular, have them 
rasped by a veterinary surgeon; if any are decayed, they must be 
extracted; if due to ravenous eating or bolting the food, compel 
it to be eaten slowly by spreading it out on a large surface, or by 
putting some rocks in the feed-box. Also, pay particular atten- 
tion to the qualit}* and quantity of the feed, and the time of feed- 
ing; examine the water supply, and see that it is given before 
feeding. Don't forget, the seat of trouble may be in the stom- 
ach, intestines, or other organs of digestion. To remove any ir- 
ritation of the bowels, such as worms, undigested food, etc., give 
as a drench, linseed oil, 1 pint; oil of turpentine, 1 ounce; and 
follow with Dr. LeGear's Condition Powders, according to the 
directions on each box. 



Dk. LeGeab's Stock Book. 67 



RUPTURE OF THE STOMACH. 

Causes. — It is usually caused by the horse throwing himself 
down violently when the stomach is full of gas, food, etc., during 
an attack of acute indigestion, etc. 

Symptoms. — The symptoms are never very positive, and in no 
case will you be able to state positively that rupture has taken 
place. Vomiting is a prominent symptom, which may take place 
before or after rupture does. The animal turns round, or walks 
in a circle, lies down, and sits upon his haunches after the manner 
of a dog; the eyes take on a peculiar stare, cold sweats break out, 
and death soon occurs. 

Treatment. — Nothing in the way of treatment can be done 
for it. 

FLATULENT OR WIND COLIC. 

Flatulent or wind colic is also a very dangerous disease, unless 
relieved, and is characterized by an over-distention of gas in the 
large intestines. 

Causes. — Among some of the principal causes of this form of 
colic are, coarse, inferior food, especially hay or corn that is sour 
or mouldy, imperfect mastication (chewing), owing to defective 
teeth, etc., and especially in old animals, whose digestive powers 
are impaired; sudden changes of food of any kind, too long fa.st- 
ing, crib-biting, etc., and, in fact, anything that produces indi- 
gestion may operate in causing flatulent colic. 

Symptoms. — Quite similar to cramp colic, but not so suddenly 
produced. At first, the animal becomes uneasy, turns his head 



68 Db. LeGeae's Stock Book. 

to one side and paws, generally throws himself down, and rolls; 
the pulse .soon runs up, and the abdomen (belly) is seen to in- 
crease in size — becoming distended with gas. In a well-marked 
case, the ribs of the leanest horse can no longer be located. The 
pains are continuous, and the suffering of the poor animal now 
becomes very great. In addition, there is difficult breathing, 
profuse sweating, trembling, staggering gait, and, finally, if relief 
be not quickly given, death will very soon follow. 

Treatment. — Whatever is done must be done quickly. Give 
at once Dr. LeGear^s Colic Cure, according to the directions on 
each bottle. Give, frequently, injections per rectum of warm 




Fig. 12. Trocar and Canula, used, for tapping an animal in wind colic (bloating). 

water, with a small quantity of common salt in solution. Gas 
escaping by the anus gives relief, and is to be regarded as a fa- 
vorable sign; and at this time don't push remedies too far, as 
harm may result. Tobacco injections are highly useful in all 
forms of colic. If the above treatment fails to give relief, and 
the belly still continues to enlarge, recourse must be had to the 
operation of puncturing (tapping) the colon to allow the gas to 
escape. This operation must be done with an instrument for 
the purpose, called the trocar, and canula. Select a spot on the 
right, midway betwixt the point of the hip, the last rib and the 
lumbar transverse processes, plunge the instrument in, draw out 
the trocar, thus leaving the tube (canula) in for the gas to pass 
through. This operation must be performed before the animal 
gets too weak. This gives the animal instant relief, and, by the 
time the gas has all escaped, the animal ceases to suffer. The af- 
ter-treatment consists of easily digested food in small quantities, 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 69 

tonics, etc. Dr. LeGear's Condition Powders will regulate and 
tone up the digestive organs, and prevent a return of the trouble. 
If the bowels are constipated, give the following: 

Turpentine \\ ounces. 

Eaw linseed oil 1 quart. 

Mix, and give as a drench. 

SPASMODIC OE CRAMP COLIC. 

Spasmodic or cramp colic is a very common as well as a very 
dangerous disease of the horse, and is more commonly known as 
gripes, bellyache, etc. It is wholly of a spasmodic nature, and if 
not promptly relieved, will, in severe cases, run into inflamma- 
tion of the bowels, causing speedy death. 

Causes. — The common causes are a sudden change in the feed; 
drinking large quantities of cold water when in a heated or ex- 
hausted condition; indigestible food; foreign bodies, as nails or 
stones, in the bowels; driving a heated horse through deep 
streams; cold rains; draughts of cold air, etc., may cause it as 
well as other troubles. 

Symptoms . — This form of colic is characterized by the sud- 
denness of the attack. All at once the animal is suddenly seized, 
stamps and paws, and sometimes kicks as though he were trying 
to strike his belly with his hoof; he throws himself violently 
down, rolls from side to side, and appears to be suffering intense 
pain. After rolling a while he gets up, stands quietly for a few 
minutes, evidently free from pain, when he is suddenly seized 
again and goes through the same performances as before. As 
the attack progresses these intervals of ease become shorter and 
shorter, until the spasms are continuous or nearly so. Now the 
animal breaks out in profuse perspiration, continues fco throw 



70 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 



himself down, rolls violently, jumps up, drops down again, paws 
and strikes, and makes frequent attempts to urinate, but can not. 
Because lie can't make water, those ignorant of the disease are 
.sure to pronounce it trouble of the kidneys or bladder. It is no 
positive sign because a horse }delds or sinks when pinched over 
the loins that it is kidney trouble. 

During a spasm the pulse runs up; between spasms it rapidly 
decreases, till it is normal. Sometimes constipation is present; 
in others, diarrhoea. It is a bad sign to see diarrhoea in a severe 
case of colic. 

It will be difficult in many cases to distinguish between colic 
and inflammation of the bowels, as the symptoms are quite sim- 
ilar. 




Fig. 13. Injection Pump, used to give injections into the womb, or rectum 
(lower bowel), of warm water, etc. 



Treatment. — If taken in time it is a disease usually satisfactory 
to treat. Whatever plan of treatment is pursued, it must be 
prompt and energetic. As soon as possible a draught should be 
administered, the very best one being our Colic Cure. Dissolve 
half the contents of the bottle in a pint of water in a long-neck 
Lottie, and give as a drench at once. If at the end of half an 
hour pain is still present, give the other half as you did the first. 
Besides this, give in a drench 1 pint of linseed oil as a laxative 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 71 

to clear out the intestinal tract, for, if any foreign substance is 
allowed to remain in the bowels it may cause another attack in a 
day or two afterwards. Also give injections per rectum (Fig. 13) 
of warm water containing a little soap and turpentine. Put the 
animal in a place where he can not hurt himself and allow him 
to roll as much as he wishes, as it gives him some relief. But 
don't put a man or boy on him and run him up and down the 
road. This is a cruel and dangerous thing to do. If the animal 
is still in pain after you have given two or three doses of our 
Colic Cure, inject under the skin with a hypodermic S3Tinge 
(Fig. 2) 3 or 5 grains of morphine dissolved in one dram of 
water. Eepeat it in one hour if necessary. If you haven't a 
syringe to put morphine under the skin, give as a drench in one- 
half pint of cold water 8 or 10 grains of morphine, and repeat in 
one hour if necessary. Inject one or two buckets of warm water 
into the rectum every hour. The following may be beneficial in 
some cases: 

Chloral hydrate 1 ounce. 

Sulphate of morphine 5 grains. 

Water 1 pint. 

Mix, and give as a drench. Eepeat in one hour if 
necessary. 

Never give medicine through the nose, as this is a dangerous 
and cruel procedure. Many a poor horse is killed by the igno- 
rant owner pouring medicine through the nose. 

CONSTIPATION. 

Constipation is an undue accumulation of feces in the in- 
testinal canal. It may be only a symptom of disease as well as 
being a disease of itself. 



72 Dr. LeGeae's Stock Book. 

Constipation or costiveness is often witnessed in the horse, and 
more particularly in the foal. The eolt should always get the 

first of the mothers milk, for, at first, this milk possesses laxative 
properties. Whenever the foal's bowels fail to act. and more 
particularly if there are signs of colicy pains, or straining, some- 
thing should be done for it. In most cases it will only be neces- 
sary to give a few injections of soapy water per rectum and to 
introduce the finger through the anus to break down any hard- 
ened feces found there. If this fails to regulate the bowels, give 
from 2 to -I ounces of castor oil, according to age. Linseed oil is 
also good for such purposes. Constipation in adult horses is gen- 
erally due to long feeding on dry, innutritious food, lack of in- 
testinal secretions, lack of exercise or water supply, derangements 
of the liver, etc. It may also follow indigestion, as well as other 
diseases, or any derangement of the digestive system. 

Symptoms. — At first there may be a slight diarrhoea, which 
soon ceases. If any manure is passed, it consists of hard pellets, 
ami perhaps covered with mucus. The animal is dull and 
sluggish, and shows abdominal pains in the usual way. He rolls 
and paws, but not in a manner so violent as in eolie. A symp- 
tom often noticed, especially when in connection with the large 
intestines, is a tendency on the part of the animal to back his 
buttocks up against the wall or manger and press upon the parts. 
More or less protrusion of the rectum is noticed on acount of 
frequent straining while endeavoring to expel the feces. 

Treatment. — In many cases a change to light, sloppy diet, as 
bran mash, etc., or a run at grass, is all that is required. If 
colicy pains are present a physic must be given: 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 73 

Barbadoes aloes 6 drams. 

Bicarbonate of soda 4 drams. 

African ginger 2 drams. 

Nux vomica 1 dram. 

Powder, and mix into a mass with syrup or soap, and 
give as a ball; or dissolve the powder into a pint of water 
and give as a drench. 

If the above does not move the bowels in from 24 to 36 hours, 
administer the following: 

Raw linseed oil 1 quart. 

Tincture of nux vomica 1 ounce. 

Mix, and give in one dose as a drench. Repeat every 
six hours until a passage is effected. 

If there is much pain the following anodyne mixture may be 
given every four hours if necessary: 

Sulphate of morphia 8 grains. 

Water 8 ounces. 

Mix, and give as a drench. 

When due to lack of intestinal secretions, give fluid ex- 
tract of belladonna three times a day in two-dram doses, and a 
handful of epsom salts in the feed daily. Injections per rectum 
of soapy water should be freely employed to remove all hardened 
feces from the rectum and colon. It may be necessary to remove 
the feces with the hand every day for a week or two, if any 
paralysis of the rectum is present. 

In all cases of constipation be sure to follow up with Dr. Le- 
Gear's Condition Powders, to tone up the stomach and bowels, 
to purify the blood, regulate (lie liver, kidneys, etc. 



74 Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 



IMPACTION OF THE LARGE BOWELS. 

This is a very common, as well as a very dangerous, bowel 
trouble, and usually results in death, unless promptly recognized 
and properly treated. 

Causes. — Over-feeding on grain, on old, dry, hard hay, lack of 
wafer, want of exercise, lack of the watery secretions of the 
bowels, or paralysis of nerve-endings, etc. 

Symptoms. — A slight abdominal pain, which may disap- 
pear for a day or two, to reappear with more violence. The 
manure passed is hard and dry. The belly is full, but contains 
no gas; he paws, and looks back at his sides. Soon the animal 
lies down, head and legs extended, occasionally raising his head 
to look toward his flank; he rises occasionally (from five to fif- 
teen minutes), walks about the stall, looks at his sides, backs up 
against the stall, paws, and soon lies down again, in his former 
position. The bowels cease now to move at all. A horse may 
suffer from this trouble from one to three weeks, and then re- 
cover, but they seldom last over four or five days. 

Treatment. — Give at once the following purgative: 

Powdered Barbadoes aloes 1 ounce. 

Calomel 2 drams. 

Powdered nux vomica 1^ drams. 

Powdered ginger 2 drams. 

Water 1 pint. 

Mix, and give as a drench. 

If the bowels don't move in twenty-four hours, the above dose 
may be repeated, but not before that time. Give injections of 



De. LeGear's Stock Book. 75 

warm water and soapsuds freely, to clean out the rectum. Give 
walking exercise, which may help the physic to act; also, allow 
the animal all the water he wants before it acts, but don't let him 
drink too much while physicing. The bare arm may be oiled and 
inserted up the rectum, and with the hand remove any dry 
feces that may be found. Inflammation of the bowels is liable 
to follow if relief is not given. 

ENTERITIS, OR INFLAMMATION OF THE BOWELS. 

Enteritis is an inflammation of the lining membrane of the 
bowels. It is in the lower animals, as well as in man, one of the 
most serious and fatal of all diseases, and a well-marked case in 
the horse is almost sure death. 

Causes. — Among the many causes are, foreign substances in 
the bowels, as, sticks, stones, sand, etc.; irritant poisons, over- 
doses of physic, drinking impure water, or drinking cold water 
when in a heated condition, standing in draughts of cold air 
after sweating freely, etc. It may follow such diseases as colic, 
volvulus, diarrhoea, etc. 

Symptoms. — At first, the symptoms are similar to those of 
colic and other painful bowel troubles. The horse walks about 
the stall, paws, lies down carefully, and usually rolls upon his 
back, and remains in this position for some time. There is a 
high fever, the temperature running up to 103 or 105 degrees 
Fahrenheit. The full, quick pulse, high temperature, continuous 
pain, which is increased upon pressure, position of the horse 
when down, coldness of ears and legs, etc., will enable you to 
tell a case of inflammation of the bowels. At a later stage of the 
disease, the pulse becomes weak and wiry. Now the eyes look 
blood-shot, and have a glassy appearance; the patient seems nn- 
r. 



76 Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 

conscious, and wanders about his stall, taking no notice of his 
surroundings. Soon there comes a period of quietness, which 
may be regarded as the turning point of the disease. If the pulse 
at this time begins to recover its tone, it may be regarded as a 
good sign; but, if the pulse is weak and running down, the body 
and legs cold, the mouth cold and clammy, the case may be re- 
garded a,s hopeless, the symptoms shown indicating that gan- 
grene (mortification) has set in. In some cases, the animal may 
live eight or nine hours after gangrene has set in, but death 
usually follows in an hour or so. 

I'reaiment. — The treatment of enteritis is anything but satis- 
factory. You must endeavor to overcome the disease by giving 
medicine that will overcome the pain. For this purpose, give Dr. 
LeGear's Colic Cure (see Appendix) every half -hour until relief 
is obtained. Don't stop with one bottle, but keep giving as long 
as there is any hope of recovery. If it is a strong, fat animal, a 
good blood letting, from six to ten quarts, may be attended with 
benefit. Mustard, ammonia, hot water, etc., may be applied to 
the belly, to assist in relieving the pain. Give linseed tea, oat- 
meal gruel, starch water, etc., to drink. All foods that are in 
the le?,st hard, dry, and indigestible, should be avoided. If, 
when the inflammation subsides, the bowels do not act, give 
walking exercise, and, if necessary, a dose of raw linseed oil. 
Feed lightly for a week or ten days, on roots, grass, bran mashes, 
etc., and keep rather quiet. 

INTUSSUSCEPTION, OR INVAGINATION. 

Intussusception, or invignation, is the slipping of one portion 
of a bowel into another por:ion, similar to a partially turned 
glove finger. The small bowels are the ones usually affected. 



De. LeG-eae's Stock Book. 77 

Causes. — Rather difficult to account for in many cases. It 
may occur from, a severe attack of spasmodic colic, in which the 
animal throws himself down violently. It may also follow diar- 
rhoea, inflammation of the bowels, or an injury, exposure to cold, 

etc. 

Symptoms. — Ft is a trouble difficult to recognize. There are 
colicy pains similar to inflammation of the bowels, but not so 
violent, and are more prolonged. The pulse may vary from 45 
to 100 beats per minute. There is also a peculiar sighing or 
catching of the breath. Sitting upon the haunches is a promi- 
nent symptom, and, when seen, death is almost certain within 
forty-eight hours from the beginning of the attack. 

Treatment. — This trouble usually ends in death. However, a 
case may occasionally be cured. About all you can do is to try 
to allay the pain by giving our Colic Cure (see Appendix), in ad- 
dition to which a dose of olive oil may be given. Keep the ani- 
mal perfectly quiet. Sometimes the invaginated portion of the 
bowels may slough off and come away with the manure, and re- 
covery take place. Injections of warm water per rectum should 
be freely used. 

VOLVULUS, GUT TIE; OR, TWISTING OF THE BOWELS. 

This condition consists in a portion of the bowels becoming- 
twisted, or tied in some wav or other. 

Cause. — Similar to intussusception, such as violent abdominal 
pains, etc., will produce it. 

Sym.ptoms. — The symptoms of volvulus are about the same 
as intussusception. 



Dr. LeGeab's Stock Book. 

Treatment. — Treat the same as for intussusception, which is 
generally useless^ 



a 



DIARRHOEA. 

Diarrhoea is just the opposite of constipation, and consists in 
the passage of an undue quantity of liquid feces. It is quite 
common amongst horses and cattle, and. in a majority of eases, 
is a symptom of some other disease, but also occurs as a separate 
trouble. 

Causes.^— Feeding on rich and succulent (juicy) food, when the 
animal is not accustomed to it. and over-doses of physic, which 
produces one of the worst forms of diarrhoea: drinking stagnant 
or putrid water, diseased condition of the teeth, eating irritating 
substances, etc., are among the many causes. Horses with long 
bodies, long legs, and narrow, flat sides are predisposed to scour, 
and are called " washy"'" by horsemen. Fast or road work aggra- 
vates the trouble, and, in fact, may cause it. 

Symptoms. — It is easily recognized. There are frequent wa- 
tery discharges, sometimes forced out in a violent manner, while 
in others it may be seen trickling down the legs. After each 
passage, there is quite often slight griping pains. In a day or 
two the pulse becomes quicker and weaker, the ears and ex- 
tremities become colder than in health, and the animal gets 
weak and staggers in his gait. He has no appetite, but has an 
excessive thirst. If not checked, inflammation of the bowels 
may follow. 

Treatment. — Try and find out the cause of it before you begin 
its treatment. If due to some irritant in the bowels, give at once 
one-half to one pint of linseed oil is a drench. Nearly every case 
of diarrhoea can be cured in a short time by giving from two to 



Dk. LeGear's Stock Book. 79 

four tablespoonsful of our Colic Cure (see Appendix) every half- 
hour in one pint of water as a drench. Blanket the animal, and 
hand-rub and bandage the legs, to keep up the circulation. If, 
after you have given the Colic Cure for two or three hours, the 
diarrhoea still continues, then try the following: 

Powdered opium . . 1 dram. 

Powdered catechu 4 drams. 

Prepared chalk 3 drams. 

Water 1 pint. 

Mix, and shake well, and give as a drench, and repeat 
in one hour if necessary. 

Use the animal carefully in regard to feed and work for some 
time. » 

DYSENTEKY— BLOODY FLUX. 

Dysentery, or bloody flux, is an affection of the lining mem- 
brane of the bowels, characterized by thin, coffee-colored or 
bloody discharges, with a very offensive smell, and passed with 
much straining. It is seldom seen in the horse, but quite com- 
mon among cattle. 

Causes. — Foreign bodies in the bowels, such as sand, poison- 
ous substances, etc., will cause it. It also arises from grazing on 
low, wet lands, drinking impure or stagnant water, etc. Diar- 
rhoea of long standing may terminate in dysentery. 

Symptoms. — The most prominent symptom is the thin, bloody 
discharge from the bowels, with a disagreeable odor; and on ex- 
amination it may be seen to contain shreds of mucus mem- 
brane (lining membrane of the bowels). Griping pains with loss 
of appetite arc early symptoms. There is a high lover, the pulse 



80 Dk. Le Gear's Stock Book. 

is quickened, and the patient lias a great desire for water. The 
strength rapidly fails, the flanks present a hollow appearance, the 
coat dry and hot. and unless relieved death soon follows. 

Treatment. — This is a very dangerous and fatal disease. More 
horses die that become affected with it than recover. Give 8 
ounces raw linseed oil and 1 ounce of laudanum as a drench. 
The oil is soothing to the bowels, and the laudanum quiets the 
pain and checks the discharge. AVe know nothing better in this 
disease than our Colic Cure, giving four tablespoonsful every 
two hours in 1 pint of cold water. This preparation (Colic Cure) 
will quiet the pain, stimulate the animal, and has astringent 
properties to check the discharge. Strictly pure cool water must 
be allowed. Perfectly sound, easily digested food given in small 
quantities to eat. If the above remedies fail, the following may 
be given: 



fcr 



Powdered opium 1 dram. 

Powdered catechu 3 drams. 

Tincture ginger 1 ounce. 

Tincture aconite £0 drops. 

Water 1 pint. 

Mix. and shake well, and give as a drench. Eepeat in 
four hours if necessary. 

One pint- of water containing 1 ounce of laudanum may be 
injected into the rectum two or three times per day. If the ani- 
mal improves, he then needs a good course of tonic powders, and 
there is nothing superior or cheaper than Dr. LeGear's Condi- 
tion Powders. 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 81 



DISEASES OF THE LIVER. 

Diseases of the liver are very rare, and they are very hard to 
diagnose when they do take place. A horse has no gall-bladder, 
which is one reason he seldom has any liver derangement. Dis- 
eases of the liver are more frequently seen in the Southern coua- 
try than up North, but they are rare here. The bile, in the horse, 
as soon as it is secreted, is emptied right into the bowels, and not 
stored in the gall-bladder, as in man and other animals. The 
liver is the largest secreting gland in the body, weighing, in the 
horse, 10 or 12 pounds. It secretes the bile and gets rid of cer- 
tain effete materials from the system. Bile acts as a laxative, 
stimulating the peristaltic action of the bowels. In derangement 
of the liver there is generally constipation, and clay colored 
feces; also jaundice (yellow appearance of the mouth and lining 
of the eyes), which shows that the bile is not being secreted from 
the blood. 

INFLAMMATION OF THE LIVER. 

We will here give a brief description of this trouble, as some 
reader of this book may be benefited thereby. It is seen more in 
horses that are fed high, and have very little to do. It may be 
caused by feeding highly on stimulating food during the hot 
weather. Injuries on the right side over the liver may cause in- 
flammation. 

Symptoms. — There may be dullness, and more or less ab- 
dominal pain; the animal laying down on the left side most of 
the time. Constipation, clay-colored feces, if any be passed, and 
the urine is high colored and scanty. Pressure on the right side 
just back of the last rib may cause pain. The lining of the 



82 De. LeGeak's Stock Book. 

eyes and mouth are of a yellow color. The appetite may be im- 
paired or entirely lost. 

Treatment. — Give the following physic: 

Powdered Barbadoes aloes 6 drams. 

Calomel . 2 drams. 

Ginger 2 drams. 

Water 1 pint. 

Mix, and shake well together, and give as a drench. 

If this does not work on the bowels, repeat it in 30 hours. A 
good mustard paste should be rubbed in well over the region of 
the liver on the right side of the animal. If the animal will eat, 
feed moderately for sometime. Give our Condition Powders reg- 
ular for sometime. A run at grass is an excellent thing after 
the acute stages of the disease have passed. 

JAUNDICE THE YELLOWS. 

This can not be considered as a disease of itself, but is due to 
some disordered condition of the liver. It is caused by the reten- 
tion and absorption of bile into the bipod. It can be detected by 
looking at the eyes, nose and mouth, when it will be seen that 
these parts are yellowish, instead of the pink color of health. 
The urine is dark colored, the dung is of a dirty gray color, and 
constipation is mostly present. 

Treatment. — Give a physic as recommended for inflammation 
of the liver. Calomel in 2-dram doses may be given every day 
for three or four days. Feed lightly on light food, as grass, green 
food, bran, oats, etc. Give our Condition Powders night and 
morning for two weeks, after the bowels have been thoroughly 
opened with a physic. 



Dr. LeG-ear's Stock Book. 83 

There are a few other troubles that the liver is liable to, such 
as Rupture of the Liver, Cirrhosis, Gail-Stones, Worms in the 
Liver, etc. They are so seldom met with and so hard to detect 
that we will not attempt here to give an account of each. 

Diseases of the Pancreas and Spleen (melt) are so rare, or 
their symptoms are so little understood, that we will not attempt 
to give any of them here. The spleen becomes enlarged in cer- 
tain diseases, as in Texas Fever in cattle, but diseases of the 
spleen are very little understood. 

RUPTURE— HERNIA. 

Ruptures are quite a common occurrence among } r oung ani- 
mals. The most common place for it to appear is at the umbili- 
cus (navel), and in the scrotum (bag). Although animals at any 
age are liable to rupture from direct injury, such as kicks, rolling 
on sharp objects, goring from cattle's horns, etc., the injury 
may not be severe- enough, or the instrument sharp enough, to 
break through the skin, but a breach i.s made in the muscles, 
which lets a portion of the bowels come through the opening 
against the skin, puffing out, forming a swelling or enlargement. 

Symptoms. — The indication of rupture at the navel is a soft, 
puffy swelling, varying in size from a pecan to that of a man's 
head. It is generally somewhat smaller than a man's fist. In 
pressing upon it, a little hole can be plainly felt, through which 
the protruded ma?,s comes. Rupture at the scrotum can be de- 
tected by the increased size of the bag, generally at one side. 
Ventral hernia, or rupture caused by an injury, can be detected 
by the sudden appearance of a soft, puffy swelling in the region 
of the belly. On examining it, a breach can be detected, through 
which the bowels come. 



84 De. LeGear's Stock Book. 

Treatment. — Rupture at the navel in colts should be let alone, 
as a Majority of them will disappear themselves by the time the 
colt is one or two years old. If, at the age of two years, the rup- 
ture is .still present, it will generally require some mode of treat- 
ment to cure it. Sometimes a good blister, applied to the swell- 
ing, causes the rupture to disappear by closing up the opening. 
Bandages are useful, if they can be kept in place. Another mode 
of treatment is to cast the animal on his back, and carefully re- 
turn the bowels into the abdominal cavity. A clamp, similar to 
those used in the old method of castration, is put over the loose 
portion of skin and tied moderately tight, and let remain on until 
it sloughs off. The skin just above the clamp is held so closely 
together that it unites, and, when the clamp drops off, the cavity 
is generally healed over. Eupture of the scrotum may cause a 
stallion very severe colicy pains by the circulation being shut off, 
or by the food not being able to pass through the loop in the 
bowels which forms the rupture. In severe cases of colic in stal- 
lions, these parts should always be examined. This form of rup- 
ture in colts will generally get well of itself if let alone; but, of 
course, there are cases that need treatment. In castrating colts, 
this is one thing that should be looked for. If you wish to cas- 
trate a ruptured horse, it may be done by returning the bowels 
into the- abdominal cavity and applying a clamp over the testicle, 
bag and all, and let the clamp remain on until it sloughs off both 
the bag and the testicle. In rupture from an injury, it may be 
relieved by an operation. Fast the animal for twelve or eighteen 
honrs, then throw him, and return the bowels into the abdominal 
cavity. Then the skin may be cut over the enlargement, and the 
edges of the divided muscles brought together with catgut 
sutures, and the skin securely sewed with silk. Feed the animal 
lightly for a few days, and apply a bandage around the body to 
support the stitehes. 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 85 

CHAPTER VII. 

THE URINARY ORGANS. 

The urinary organs are, the kidneys, ureters (tubes leading 
from the kidneys to the bladder), bladder, and urethra (tube 
leading from the bladder through which the urine is expelled). 
Their functions are to secrete the urine from the blood, and ex- 
pel it from the body. The urine is a watery fluid holding 
in solution a varying quantity of earthy salts, and a peculiar sub- 
stance, urea, which, if not expelled from the body, acts as a blood 
poison. The kidneys are very important organs of the body, and 
have a very essential duty to perform; therefore, it is all-import- 
ant that they be kept in proper working condition, and free from 
disease. Certain affections, with imperfect nutrition or destruct- 
ive waste of the bony tissues, tend to charge the urine with phos- 
phates of lime and magnesia, and induce the formation of stone 
and gravel. All general diseases of the system more or less affect 
the kidneys by giving them extra work to do — carrying off 
the waste products and poisons of the disease. The kidneys are 
located under the loins, one on each side of the backbone. The 
bladder i,s located in the pelvic cavity, and it serves as a reservoir 
for the urine. From the bladder leads the urethra, through 
which the urine escapes. Below will be found a brief description 
of the more important diseases of the urinary organs. 

NEPHRITIS— INFLAMMATION OF THE KIDNEYS. 

Inflammation of the kidneys is not so common among the 
lower animals as in man. It usually occurs in the chronic form, 
being rarely met with in the acute form. Onlv one kidney may 



86 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 




THE KIDNEY — LONGITUDINAL SECTION. 

(a) Cortical or vascular portion; (6) medullary or tubular portion; (c) peript- 
eral portion of the latter; (d) interior of the pelvis; (d' d') arms of the latter; 
(e) border of the crest; (/) infundibulum; (g) ureter, the tube leading to the 
bladder. 

be affected, while in other cases both are affected at the same 
time. 

Causes. — Exposure to wet and cold weather, feeding on infe- 
rior food, as damaged corn, mouldy hay, etc., the administration 
of large and repeated doses of resin, saltpetre and other diuretics. 
A spanish-fly blister, as well as injuries, such as jumping, fall- 
ing, carrying heavy weights, etc., may cause nephritis. 



Symptoms. — The pulse ranges from 45 to 50; there is usually 
a high fever; the animal shows pain and uneasiness by lying 
down, and sometimes rolling (but not so violent as in colic), and 
turning his head toward the- region of his kidneys; frequent at- 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 87 

tempts are made to urinate, but little is passed, and is usually 
mixed with blood. The flanks are sunken, the belly tucked up, 
and the animal may walk with a straddling gait. In the chronic 
form, the symptoms are not so well marked as in the acute. 
Swelling of the limbs may be noticed, the animal appears dull 
and languid, and stretches himself in the stall, stretching out his 
hind legs, and will stand, sometimes for hours, in that position. 
When brought out of the stall, the animal shows stiffness in the 
region of the loins, but this, upon exercise, soon disappears. 

Treatment. — Every effort should be made to relieve the kid- 
neys of their work, and keep them quiet. Give one quart of raw 
1: i] seed oil to move the bowels. If this doesn't physic the animal 
well, repeat it in thirty hours. Give three tablespoonsful of our 
Colic Cure every four hours in one pint of cold water, as a 
drench. This will quiet the pain, and lower the fever. Make 
the animal sweat by blanketing the body heavily. Apply hot 
cloths over the region of the loins, and cover with dry blankets. 
Renew the hot cloths every half-hour. Our Liniment, well 
rubbed in over the loins two or three times per day, will be found 
of great benefit. Feed the animal on a good, nutritious diet, 
and use very easily for some time. 

DIURESIS — DIABETES INSIPIDUS — PROFUSE 

STALING. 

Diabetes consists in the passage of large quantities of a clear 
watery urine, accompanied by great loss of strength and spirit, 
great thirst, etc. 

Causes. — This disease in most cases is due to faulty feeding, 
as damaged corn, moldy hay, etc. Food of any kind that is dam- 
aged in any way or inferior in quality, may cause the disease. 
01 her common causes are the continued use of impure water, the 



88 Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 

reckless use of certain medicines which are commonly found in 
quack horse powders, as well as in certain plants and grasses. 
which set up irritation of the kidneys and produce the trouble. 

Symptoms. — The horse appears to be always thirsty and drinks 
at every opportunity, and passes his urine every time you stop 
him, the discharge being clear and watery, and without any odor 
(smell.) The eye becomes dull, the spirits are depressed, the 
animal is weak and sluggish, sweats easily, and can endure but 
little. The flanks become tucked up, the animal gets poor, the 
skin becomes tight, the hair stands erect and has lost its gloss. 
The animal may live for months, or may die early, according to 
the severity of the attack. 

Treatment. — The first thing to do is to look to the feed, and 
see that the animal is supplied with sound hay and grain. It is 
advisable to make a change in the feed any way, as well as the 
drinking water. A liberal supply of boiled flaxseed in the drink- 
ing water is very useful. Also feed on boiled oats, bran, etc. 
Pure water should be frequently given, and in small quantities. 
The following powders generally act like magic in curing this 
disease: 

Iodine 3 drams. 

Iodide of potassium 4 drams. 

Sulphate of iron 1 ounce. 

Powdered gentian 2 ounces. 

Mix, and make six powders, and give one powder night 
and morning in damp feed. 

DIABETES MELLITFS. 

Diabetes ITellitus (sugar diabetes) is more a disease of the ner- 
vous svstem or liver, than that of the kidnevs. 



Dr. LeGeae's Stock Book. 89 

Causes. — Its causes are various, but most of them may be in- 
cluded under any disorders of the liver t :■" cf the brain. 

Symptoms. — Great thirst, profuse passage of a pale urine, 
rapid loss of condition, scurvy, unthrifty skin, indigestion, etc., 
and the presence in the urine of a sweet principle — sugar. The 
best way to detect this is to touch the tip of the tongue with a 
drop. 

Treatment. — This is a disease that has received a great deal of 
study and investigation, but as yet no reliable remedies have been 
discovered. Great attention should be paid to the diet of the 
animal. Give food that is as free of saccharine properties as 
possible. Some good may be obtained by giving our Condition 
Powders for two or three weeks in the feed. 

BLOODY ITKINE— HAEMATURIA. 

As seen in the horse, bloody urine is usually the direct result 
of some injury across the loins (small of the back) or irritation 
caused by stones (calculi) in the kidney, bladder, etc. 

Treatment. — You must first find out the exact cause. If due 
to a stone in the bladder you must endeavor to remove it. Give 
slippery-elm and linseed tea to drink. If the discharge is abund- 
ant, apply cold water to the loins and keep the animal quiet. 
Give: 

Sugar of lead 1 dram. 

Water 1 pint. 

Mix, and give as a drench. 



90 Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 

Or give — 

Tincture of iron 1 ounce. 

Water 1 pint. 

Mix, and give as a drench. 

CYSTITIS— INFLAMMATION OF THE BLADDEB. 

Inflammation of the bladder may occur in all animals, but it 
is not very frequently seen. 

Causes. — It may he caused by stone in the bladder, or from 
feeding the animal on strong, irritating medicine or food. Any- 
thing that will make the urine of an irritating character is liable 
to cause cystitis. 

Symptoms. — The animal shows considerable pain and passes 
urine frequently, but only a small quantity. Pain, more or less, 
is shown after each effort to urinate, by strainging and groaning, 
and moving the tail and hind legs. On passing the hand into 
the rectum or vagina the bladder is found to be hot and tender. 
Pressure in the flanks may cause pain. 

Treatment. — If in the mare or cow, inject into the bladder 
warm water 1 quart, laudanum 1 ounce, using a suitable syringe. 
Eepeat the injection once daily. Apply blankets wrung out of 
hot water over the loins, and feed on bran mashes, linseed meal, 
grass, etc. If much fever is present, give 15 drops of tincture 
of aconite in one-half pint of cold water as a drench, and repeat 
every four hours. Give 1 pint of raw linseed oil as a drench. 
Use the animal carefully for some time. 

These failing, injections of warm water containing 2 ounces 
of laudanum may be tried; also give the following: 



Dk. LeGeak's Stock Book. 91 

Sweet nitre 2 ounces. 

Laudanum or chloral hydrate 1 ounce. 

Water 1 pint. 

Mix, and give as a drench. 

If in a horse, the catheter (Fig. 14), well oiled, may be gently 
passed up the penis and the urine drawn off. In a mare, all that 
is necessary to dilate it is to insert one finger into the neck of 
the bladder. 



Fig. 14. Horse Catheter, for drawing the urine from the tladder of horses. 

SPASM OF THE NECK OF THE BLADDEK. 

Thi,s condition consists in a tight closure of the outlet from 
the bladder by contraction of the small circular muscles that 
open and close it. 

Causes. — Hard, continuous driving, without a chance to pass 
urine, draughts of cold air when warm and fatigued, extensive 
blisters of Spanish-fly over the loins, certain medicines, stone in 
the bladder, and exposure to cold rain storms. 

Symptoms. — Frequent .stretching and straining to pass water, 
without being able to do so. On resuming his natural position, 
the animal still continues uneasy, paws, shakes the tail, looks 
back to the flank, kicks at his belly with his hind feet, lies down 
and rises, and tries to urinate a,s before. With the oiled hand in- 
troduced into the rectum (last gut), the bladder full of urine 
may be felt. 



92 Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 

Treatment. — As some mares refuse to make their water in har- 
ness, they should be unhitched at suitable times for such pur- 
poses. In all eases, take the animal out of the harness, spread 
clean hay or straw beneath the belly, or turn the patient out on 
the dimg heap. Some accomplish the act by slow whistling, 
others by pouring water from one vessel into another with a 
dribbling noise. 

PARALYSIS OF THE BLADDER. 

Causes. — It is associated with diseases of the .spinal cord, 
broken back, where there is palsy of the tail and of the hind- 
limbs. 

Symptoms. — "When the neck of the bladder is affected, there is 
constant dribbling of urine, which runs down the inside of the 
thighs. When the neck is not affected, the urine is retained until 
the bladder is very full, when it may be forced out with a gush. 
This, however, does not entirely empty it. as it may still remain 
half-full 

Treatment. — Gentle pressure with the oiled hand, well in- 
serted into the rectum, may force it out. but it is better to use 
the catheter (Fig. 14) to draw the urine off. Give the fol- 
lowing: 



*e 



Saltpetre 2 ounces. 

Iodide of potassium 1 J ounces. 

Powdered nux vomica 1-J ounces. 

Mix into twelve powders, and give one morning and 
night in damp feed. 



Dr. LeGear's Stock: Book. 93 



GRAVEL— STONE. 

This is the formation of calculi (.stones) in the kidneys and 
bladder. They may be few or many, and vary in size from the 
finest grain of sand to that of a man's fist. AVe have a specimen 
on hand now of a stone taken from a horse's bladder, after death, 
by Earnest Witte, of Shelby, Texas, that weighs over three 
pounds. Gravel is seen more frequently in districts where stock 
are compelled to drink water highly impregnated with lime. 

Symptoms. — Stones may be present in the kidneys or bladder 
for a long time before they cause the animal any inconvenience. 
The urine may be passed with difficulty, and changed in color, 
becoming unnaturally white or milky in appearance. Gravel in 
the bladder often causes a great deal of irritation, and more or 
less inflammation of the same. The urine may be passed with 
pain being checked before the bladder is empty, and dribble 
away in a .small stream, or be shut off entirely. Blood and mucus 
may be passed. If a close examination of the urine is made, 
gravel may be found. The pain may be so severe that the horse 
will have severe colicy pains by a stone blocking up the passage 
of urine. Stone in the kidney is often very severe, and causes the 
horse a great deal of pain and uneasiness. Urine will be passed 
often in small quantities, with pain with each effort. Pressure 
on the loins may cause a great deal of pain. 

Treatment. — If due to drinking lime water, discontinue it, and 
give cistern water entirely. Also, give plenty of salt. If the ani- 
mal is in much pain, he can be relieved by giving our Colic Cure 
in ordinary-sized do.ses. Repeat every hour until relieved. Give 
Xn the drinking water every morning 1 dram of carbonate of 
potash; also, give 1 teaspoonful of our Condition Powders morn- 
ing and night in damp feed for two or three weeks. Where the 



94 Dr. LbGeab's Stock Book. 

gravel gets lodged in the canal leading from the bladder, it has 
to be removed by cutting upon it and removing by an operation. 
Stone may be removed from the bladder of a mare or cow by in- 
serting a long pair of suitable forceps into the bladder through 
the urethra. 

AZOTUEIA— POISONING BY ALBOIEXOIDS. 

This is more a disease of the liver and blood than of the kid- 
neys, as a great many suppose. 

Causes. — Any horse that is kept up and well fed and has not 
regular exercise, is liable to this trouble, especially driving horses. 
For instance, a horse has regular work and receives a large sup- 
ply of good food, when from some cause or other he is allowed 
to stand idle in the stable for several days and still receives the 
usual quantity of rich and stimulating food. Xow. if the animal 
is taken out and given exercise, it is then the disease will show 
itself, especially if the drive be rapid. 

Symptoms. — The horse, after having been well fed and rested 
for several days, comes out of the stable full of life and in high 
spirits. After traveling a short distance, he is noticed to become 
somewhat dull and sluggish, sweats freely, and then shows stiff- 
ness in the loins and goes rather lame behind. In traveling he 
drags the limbs along, may stagger slightly, manifests weakness 
in the hind quarters, and finally stops, being unable to proceed 
any further on his way. He may remain standing, but usually 
falls or lies down. AYhen down he is unable to rise, and shows 
considerable pain. If allowed to stop at first, he would lie 
down and roll like a horse with the colic. The muscles of the 
hip soon become as hard as though composed of iron. In some 
cases the fore limbs become affected: in this form it is not so 
severe as when affecting the hind quarters. The pulse is usually 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 95 

quickened, the breathing increased, with a high fever, and the 
bowels are found to be loaded. The urine is thick and of a very 
dark color, and invariably has to be drawn with a catheter. (See 
Fig. 14.) 

Treatment. — As soon as the horse is noticed to be getting stiff 
and lame he should be stopped at once and taken out of the har- 
ness. Give at once a good purgative, as follows: 

Barbadoes aloes 9 drams. 

Bromide of potassium 6 drams. 

Ginger 4 drams. 

Water 1 pint. 

Mix, and give as a drench. 

If no other physic can be had, give 1 quart of raw linseed oil. 
Keep the animal on his feet if possible. If he goes down it may 
be well to raise him up with slings. Apply to the hips and loins 
blankets wrung out of hot water and cover them with dry ones. 
Have the water just as hot as he can stand it, and change the 
blankets every twenty minutes. After removing the blankets 
bathe the affected muscles with some good stimulating liniment, 
and there is none as good as Dr. LeGear's Liniment. (See Ap- 
pendix.) Use the liniment two or three times a day. Draw off 
the urine two or three times a day with the catheter (Fig. 14) 
if he can't pass it. After giving the physic follow it up with the 
following: 

Bromide of potassium 3 ounces. 

Nitrate of potassium H ounces. 

Mix, and make six powders, and give one powder morn- 
ing, noon, and night, dissolved in one-half pint of water. 



96 De. LeGeak's Stock Book. 

Give the animal all the pure water he will drink, and feed on 
bran, boiled oats, grass, fodder, etc. Keep the patient in a com- 
fortable place and have him well cared for. This is a disease if 
taken in time and has the proper treatment that can in most cases 
be cured in from two to six days. After the horse has improved 
considerably, give him the following tonic powders: 

Mtrate of potassium 1-J ounces. 

Powdered gentian 3 ounces. 

Powdered sulphate of iron 2 ounces. 

Powdered nux vomica 1 \ ounces. 

Powdered anise seed 2 drams. 

Mix, and make twelve powders, and give one powder 
morning and night in damp feed. 

Or Dr. LeGear's Condition Powders (see Appendix) may be 
given, which are just as good and much cheaper. 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 97 

CHAPTER VIII. 
THE SKIN. 

The skin of the domesticated animals performs several very im- 
portant functions. Besides covering and protecting the body, it 
removes daily about one-sixty-seventh of the weight of the body. 
Experiments go to show that of eight parts of food taken into the 
healthy body, about three parts leave it by the bowels and kid- 
neys, three by the lungs, and two by the skin. It is an important 
breathing apparatus, excreting carbonic acid and absorbing oxy- 
gen. On account of its constant and large secretion of fluid, the 
,skm is an important factor in regulating animal temperature. 
So important are the purifying functions of the skin that if an 
animal be covered by a complete coat of varnish, which complete- 
ly prevents sweating, the animal will die in a remarkably short 
time from suffocation and poisoning of the system. 

The sweat glands are very numerous, there being in the skin 
of a horse from 2000 to 3000 on every square inch. The activity 
of these glands is regulated by the .sweat centres located in the 
brain. The amount of natural perspiration depends mainly upon 
the dryness and temperature of the air. Unnatural sweating is 
brought on by exercise, the taking of food, drinking warm 
drinks, and by certain medicines that stimulate the nerve centres. 

XOX - SWEATING. 

It will be seen by reading the above remarks on the skin how 
important it is for horses to sweat. It is quite a common occur- 
rence among horses in this country, especially large horses that 
are shipped in here from the North, to have the sweat cheeked on 



98 Dr. LeGeaes Stock Book. 

them and they do not sweat no matter how hard or fast you drive 
tli em on a hot summer day. 

Causes. — The causes of this trouble are generally by being 
cooled off too quickly, by being watered or stood in a draught 
when very hot from a hard drive. It is caused more readily in 
horses not acclimated, or when the animal is not well. Xorthern 
horses that are fed corn all summer, and worked hard in the hot 
sun. are very liable to sutler from this trouble. 

Symptoms. — Perhaps the first thing noticed will be dullness of 
the animal, and no sweating. "When driven, the animal will 
breathe very fast and almost suffocate, but does not sweat. The 
pores of the skin become blocked up and the nerve centres de- 
ranged, and the waste and poisonous material that should come 
out with the sweat remains in the system. The blood becomes 
impregnated with this effete material, and on going to the lungs 
to be purified it gives extra work to the lungs, thus the cause of 
the panting breathing and suffocation. An animal in this con- 
dition is very easily overcome by the heat and subject to sun- 
stroke. 

Treatment. — In the treatment of this trouble, the great object 
in view is to promote the secretions of the skin. If the animal 
is much exhausted, and breathing fast, give the following: 

Sweet nitre 1 ounce. 

Alcohol 3 ounces. 

Water 1 pint. 

Mix, and give as a drench, and repeat every hour until 
relieved. 

Give a change of feed; feed oats and bran, but no corn; give 
the animal a good bath, and put three or four blankets on him 



De. LeGear's Stock Book. 99 

and stand in a stall and let him remain covered up for one hour. 
Then remove the blankets and rub him dry. Repeat this bath- 
ing and blanketing every morning for one or two weeks. It may 
be well to give the above drench at each time of bathing. Clean 
the skin well once or twice a day with a curry-comb and brush. 
Give regular, but gentle, exercise. Give 1 teaspoonful of our 
Condition Powders morning and night for two weeks. After the 
animal is relieved to a considerable extent, a run at pasture will 
be beneficial. 

ECZEMA. 

This disease is a very common one, especially so during the 
hot months of summer, and is often mistaken for mange. Ecze- 
ma is a non-contagious disease of the skin, characterized by the 
formation of a small pimple, which afterwards becomes a vesicle 
(blister), and finally a pustule (containing pus or matter). 

Causes. — It is caused by a. changed condition of the blood, 
produced, or at least aggravated, by a change from cold to hot 
weather, and by certain kinds of food, etc. It is commonly seen 
in horses on pasture, especially when grazing on over-ripe grass, 
etc. An animal once having the disease is more liable to another 
attack than he would be if he had never had it, especially when 
fed on a highly nutritious diet. 

Symptoms. — Dryness of the hair is noticed, and itchiness of 
the skin, causing the animal to rub his head and neck with very 
great violence on being brought in from work. When running 
out at pasture he will often rub the fence down in his frantic 
efforts to obtain relief. The head, neck, the region of the mane, 
root of the tail, etc., are the parts most affected. Eczema comes 
on suddenly, while mange comes on gradually, and it is quite as 
difficult to treat, if not more so, than mange. 



100 De. LeGeab's Stock Book. 

Treatment. — This disease requires both local and constitu- 
tional treatment. Wash the animal every second day for at least 
ten days with castile soap and water, and apply the following 
wash every morning to all the affected parts with a swab or 
brush. : 

Corrosive sublimate 2 drams. 

Alcohol 4 ounces. 

Water 4 ounces. 

Mix. 

On mornings of washing apply the wash directly after wash- 
ing. After using the wash for about ten days or two weeks, dis- 
continue it and grease all the affected parts every morning with 
carbolized salve, which will bring out the growth of hair. The 
internal treatment consists of tonics and alteratives to purify the 
blood and act on the skin. Give every morning in damp feed 
two tablespoonsful of Fowler's Solution of Arsenic. At night 
give one teaspoonful of Dr. LeGear's Condition Powders (see 
Appendix) in damp feed. Make a complete change of feed. Give 
bran mash freely, in which put the medicine. Give oats, but 
no corn, for some time. Give gentle but not severe exercise dur- 
ing treatment or for some time afterwards. 

CEACKED HEELS— SCEATCHES. 

Cracked heels, or more commonly called scratches, is a very 
common trouble among race horses, affecting both runners and 
trotters. The heavier breeds of horses are, however, the most 
liable to this trouble. The hind legs are usually the ones af- 
fected. 

Causes. — Cracked heels may be caused in many ways, as Avash- 
ing the heels and not drying them properly, irregular exercise, 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 101 

standing in filthy, wet stables, etc. A common cause of the dis- 
ease in horses of fast work is, that on sweating freely the per- 
spiration runs down upon the heels, irritates and causes them to 
crack. Sometimes the animal gets his foot over a rope and rubs 
it, setting up an irritation which by improper treatment ter- 
minates in cracked heels. Scratches may also be caused by the 
injudicious use of blisters; in fact, any irritant substance what- 
ever may cause it. Cracked heels is a condition seldom seen 
among horses that are properly cared for. 

Symptoms. — A reddened appearance of the heel is usually the 
first thing noticed. This is soon followed by the appearance of 
cracks or fissures, which usually extend from side to side. If the 
trouble is in the fore limbs the animal will be very stiff in his 
action, until he becomes warmed up, or until the blood oozes out, 
when the stiffness will disappear. When in the hind limbs the 
stiffness is not so great. Sometimes there is a slight swelling of 
the affected limb, extending in some cases as high as the hock. 

Treatment. — In the majority of cases the only treatment neces- 
sary is to apply to all the affected parts two or three times per 
day Dr. LeGear's Healing Lotion. (See Appendix.) Keep the 
parts as clean as possible, but don't wash very often. Keep the 
animal quiet for a few days and in a clean dry place. If the 
above treatment fails to cure, or greatly improve the case in a 
week's time, give the physic given in the treatment of Mallend- 
ers, and follow with Dr. LeGear's Condition Powders to purify 
the blood. Apply the Healing Lotion at least twice per day 
during the treatment, or until cured. 



102 Dk. LeGtEak's Stock Book. 



GREASE. 

This disease shows itself in connection with the heels of a 
horse, especially the hind ones. It is known as "grease" on ac- 
count of the oily or greasy character of the discharge which takes 
place form the affected parts. Heavy horses are far more subject 
to an attack than the lighter breeds. It is not contagious. 

Causes. — Certain kinds of horses are subject to this trouble, 
as the heavier breeds, those possessing flat feet and having large 
quantities of hair on their limbs, etc. The most common cause 
of grease is scratches, and the various causes which operate in 
producing cracked heels also operate in producing grease, as 
washing the parts too frequently, or washing and not drying, the 
improper use of blisters, etc. 

Symptoms. — There is more or less swelling of the parts, ac- 
companied by redness, and soon followed by a slight discharge. 
Soon the discharge becomes oily in character, the hair comes out, 
and the skin is considerably inflamed. The odor of the discharge 
draws attention to the parts whenever one approaches the animal, 
and if not actively and properly treated the tense tender skin 
cracks open, leaving open sores from which vascular bleeding 
growths grow up, constituting the "grapes." This is known as 
the grapous stage. The heel may now appear as one mass of 
rounded, red, small, angry, tumor-like processes (similar to 
grapes), which bleed on handling and have a very offensive dis- 
charge. When grease extends to and involves the frog of the 
horse's foot it is known as canker. Neglected or improperly 
treated grease may terminate in big leg. 

Treatment. — In bad cases of grease the first thing to be done 
is to give a good physic to clean out the bowels, and follow it up 



Dk. LeGeak's Stock Book. 103 

with Dr. LeGear's Condition Powders, given in the usual size 
doses morning and night in damp feed to purify the blood. The 
best physic in a case of this kind is as follows: 

Powdered Barbadoes aloes 1 ounce. 

Powdered ginger 2 drams. 

Mix. 

The above can be made into a bolus with vaseline and put 
back on the root of the tongue with the hand, or dissolved in 1 
pint of warm water and given as a drench. Clip the hair closely 
from the parts and wash off all the scabs and matter with castile 
soap and water, and use a little carbolic acid (1 part to 40 of 
water) to destroy the bad smell. Apply to the affected parts twice 
per day Dr. LeGear's Healing Lotion, and dust well on to the 
parts after putting on the Healing Lotion, Dr. LeGear's Screw 
Worm Powder. If there is much fever and swelling in the parts, 
put on a linseed meal poultice and change it twice per day. Mix 
it up with warm water and tie it on with a soft cloth. Give 
easily digested food, as bran, oats, chops, grass, etc. In mild 
cases the Healing Lotion and Screw Worm Powder will gener- 
ally effect a cure when applied according to directions. But in 
the grapous stage of the disease caustics, or the hot iron, must be 
used, the latter is the best. Caustic potash is the best caustic to 
use to remove the grapes, but blue stone, burnt alum, etc., may 
be used instead; or use the following: 

White arsenic 2 drams. 

Vaseline 1 ounce. 

Mix, and apply occasionally to keep down the excessive 
granulations (grapes). 

It may be well in some cases to remove the shoe, but in most 
cases of Grease, as well as that of Scratches, a high heeled shoe 



104 Dr. LeGeak's Stock Book. 

will be found very beneficial to remove the strain from the 
cracks. 

If an ointment is preferred, use the following: 

Oxide of zinc 2 drams. 

Carbolic acid 20 drops. 

Vaseline 1 ounce. 

Mix, and apply to the affected parts twice a day. 

XETTLE BASH— SURFEIT— TJBTICAEIA. 

Xettle-rash is a skin affection characterized by the sudden ap- 
pearance of small elastic eminences, varying in size from a hazel 
nut to a hickory nut. and which may be observed over the whole 
body surface, but more particularly in the region of the neck, 
shoulders, flanks, etc. It it also known as ' "urticaria," "surfeit," 
etc., and is most commonly seen during the hot months of sum- 
mer. 

Causes. — Certain kinds of food may produce it, and take it 
all in all. derangement of the digestive organs is the most com- 
mon cause. Allowing an animal to cool off suddenly, or giving 
him a drink of cold water, when hot and sweating freely, is a 
very frequent cause of the trouble. 

Symptoms. — The attack is sudden. The eminences are elastic 
to the touch, and usually round in shape. They may disappear 
in a few hours, or may remain on the animal for eight or ten 
days. In some cases as quickly as one set of elevations disappear 
thev are followed bv a new lot. Usually there is an itching; sen- 
sation of the skin, as shown by the animal rubbing himself, as 
well as slight constitutional disturbance: pulse and appetite 
slightly affected, etc. 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 105 

Treatment. — This is a disease that generally yields to treat- 
ment very readily when taken in time. Give as a drench one 
pint of raw linseed oil, after which give one-half teaspoonful of 
saltpetre in the drinking water or on damp feed night and morn- 
ing. Bathe all the affected parts twice per day with 1 pint of 
vinegar to 1 gallon of cold water. Reduce the quantity of feed 
given to about one-half. Give bran mashes, grass, etc., if they 
can be had. 

MUD FEVER, 

Mud fever consists of an inflammation of the skin in the re- 
gion of the hock behind, and the knees in front. 

Causes. — Mud fever may result from any of the causes which 
produce cracked heels, as washing and not drying, irregular ex- 
ercise, standing in filthy, wet stables, driving through mud and 
slush, etc. It is most common during spring and autumn, when 
cold water is used to wash the legs. 

Symptoms. — On examination the outside layer of the skin 
about the hocks or knees is found to be inflamed. The pain is 
often quite severe, the hair comes out to a certain extent, the 
irritation extends to the deeper structures of the skin, often 
giving rise to considerable swelling. In some cases constitu- 
tional symptoms are present, the appetite interfered with, and if 
the exciting cause be kept up the general system becomes very 
much affected. 

Treatment. — The treatment for mud fever is the same as for 
Mallenders, which see. 



106 Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 



MALLENDEKS. 

This is an eczematious (like eczema) condition of the skin, 
localizing itself on the front legs just back of the knees, causing 
a scurviness and dryness of the parts. It is commonly seen among 
heavy horses, and stallions suffer more frequently than mares or 
geldings. 

Causes. — The causes are a sluggish circulation, improper feed- 
ing, irregular exercise, improper grooming, etc. It may also be 
due to the action of certain blistering preparations. 

Smyptoms. — At first there is an irritation, followed by redness 
in some cases, and a watery discharge takes place from the affect- 
ed part. The cracks which form often extend quite through the 
skin. The first symptoms may after a while disappear, and the 
case take on a chronic form. The animal may alsc fall off in 
condition to a certain extent. 

Treatment. — This disease, though apparently not very serious, 
is some times very hard to cure on account of the location of the 
trouble. Give the following prescription as a drench at one dose: 

Barbadoes aloes 4 drams. 

Tincture ginger 1 ounce. 

Eaw linseed oil 1 pint. 

Mix. 

Follow the above up with Dr. LeGear's Condition Powders 
(see Appendix} according to direction. Keep the horse as quiet 
as possible for a few days. There is no medicine that will heal 
it quicker than Dr. LeGear's Healing Lotion applied twice per 
day. 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 



107 



SALLENDEKS. 

Sallenders is the same as Mallenders, only that it is situated on 
the hind legs about the hocks. Its causes, symptoms, and treat- 
ment are the same as Mallenders. Sallenders occurs probably 
with greater frequency than Mallenders. 




Fig. 15. The Mange Insect. 



MANGE— ITCH. 



Mange is an eruptive disease of the skin, characterized by 
more or less irritation of the same. It is due to the presence of 
a parasite belonging to the family called Sarcoptes — two Greek 
words meaning "flesh" and "to conceal/' It is also called scab T 

8 



108 Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 

or scabies, itch, etc. It is transmissible from animal to animal, 
and from one species to another. The parasites burrow down 
into the flesh, and are found in the horse, man, sheep, pigs, 
and cattle, and are also common to many other smaller animals. 
Besides the sarcoptes, there is another kind called "dermato- 
dectes," signifying "the skin," and "to prick." The dermato- 
dectes do not burrow beneath the skin, but simply hold on to 
and prick the skin. They are common to the ox, horse, and 
sheep. Another variety is known as "symbiotes." They neither 
burrow nor prick the skin, but cause considerable irritation, and 
are common to the horse and ox. Certain conditions appear 
favorable to the attack of the sarcoptic kind. A horse poorly 
cared for, badly groomed, and in an unthrifty state generally, is 
in a favorable condition for the reception of the disease. The 
attack of the sarcoptes is at first slow, but having once fairly 
secure a start, they spread with great rapidity, irritating the 
skin and sometimes destroying the animal. (Fig. 15.) 

The dermatodectes are far less troublesome than the sarcoptes. 
The symbiotes are often found affecting the legs of horses, set- 
ting up considerable irritation or itching, and causing the animal 
to rub and scratch the parts. The parasites mentioned are those 
causing mange, although of the three families named, the sar- 
coptes is probably the one oftenest met with in mange, and most 
certainly is the one causing the worst form of the disease; either 
variety may be conveyed from one animal to another by means 
of the harness, saddle, clothing, etc. The dermatodectes can in 
some cases be easily detected by the naked eye, and either variety 
can of course be readily discovered by the glass, an ordinary 
magnifying glass in most cases being quite sufficient. During 
times of war mange is usually quite common. As a general thing 
the disease is not so very common on the American continent. 

Mange in every instance is caused by coming into contact with 
affected animals, or infected clothing, harness, etc. At the same 
time it should be remembered that dirty, badly groomed and 



Dk. LeGeae's Stock Book. 109 

neglected animals are more prone to receive the parasites than 
well kept and properly cared for animals. 

Symptoms. — The coat presents an unthrifty appearance, and 
on account of the irritation set up by the parasites in the skin, 
the animal rubs and scratches himself. Soon the hair falls out, 
leaving bare patches of skin on the neck, about the edge of the 
mane, and on the quarters near the root of the tail. The hair 
continues to fall out until the animal is almost devoid of hair. 
A sort of staw-colored fluid now may be seen coming out on the 
surface of the skin. After sometime the general health of the ani- 
mal may be interfered with; he becomes, weak, feverish, and in 
some cases death takes place. Mange is accompanied by a far 
greater amount of irritation than eczema, which is a point well 
worth remembering. 

Treatment. — In the treatment of mange the great object in 
view is to kill the parasites in the skin by using some good germi- 
cide, and to also destroy the parasites on the harness, saddle, sad- 
dle-blanket, stalls, etc. If the hair is anyways long, clip it all oh* 
closely and wash the body all over thoroughly with castile soap 
and water. Wash every third day, and apply either of the fol- 
lowing lotions every morning to all affected parts: 

Creolin 1 ounce. 

Methylated spirits 1 ounce. 

Distilled water 1 pint. 

Mix. 



Or— 



Trikresol G drams. 

Distilled water 1 pint. 

Mix. 



110 Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 

Solutions of carbolic acid or corrosive sublimate are beneficial 
in many cases, but must be used carefully. Sulphur and tar 
preparations are good in some cases, but are objectionable on 
account of their gummy nature. The harness and saddle must 
be thoroughly washed with soap and carbolic acid water. 
Blankets, pads, etc., may be boiled for one or two hours in water. 
The stalls, sheds, posts, etc., can be cleansed by painting them 
with boiling hot whitewash, to which may be added two ounces 
of carbolic acid to every gallon. If the animal is run down In 
flesh, give him two tablespoonsful of Fowler's Solution of Ar- 
senic every morning, or one teaspoonful of Dr. LeGear's Condi- 
tion Powders (see Appendix) night and morning in damp feed 
for two weeks. 

LOUSINESS— LICE. 

In this article two kinds of lice will be spoken of: first, the 
ordinary horse lice, invited by a filthy condition of the animal, 
improper grooming, debility, etc.; secondly, poultry lice, which 
are so common among horses kept standing near hen houses. 
Hen lice are smaller than the regular horse lice. 

Symptoms. — Very easily detected. The animal manifests con- 
siderable irritation by scratching himself, a rough coat, an un- 
thrifty appearance. The itching seems to be more severe about 
the root of the tail, mane, etc. On making a close examination, 
the lice may be detected swarming over the body of the animal. 
Chicken lice are common among horses kept near hen houses, 
and cause the animal a great deal of annoyance, causing the mane 
and tail to fall out. 

Treatment. — It is well to clip the hair closely from the horse 
and apply freely to the body the following: 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. Ill 

Stavesacre seed 1 ounce. 

Veratrum album (white hellebore) 1 ounce. 

Water : 1 gallon. 

Mix, and boil until the residue measures two quarts. 

A strong solution of tobacco water is very good. A good bat 
very old remedy for killing lice on cattle is one part of kerosene 
and four parts of lard, mixed well, and rubbed along the back- 
bone, about the horns and ears, on the shoulders, etc. The har- 
ness, saddle blankets, stalls., etc., should have the same treatment 
as recommended for mange. 

RINGWORM. 

Ringworm is a skin affection also caused by a parasite, belong- 
ing to a class called cryptogama, being of vegetable origin. It is 
called ringworm on account of the manner in which it attacks 
the skin. All animals are attacked, and horses in good condition 
appear to be just as liable to take the disease as those in poor 
condition. The vitality of the parasite is very great, and in some 
cases it has been known to live upwards of six months. Ring- 
worm is communicable from one animal to another, and from 
animals to man. 

Symptoms. — Circular, scruffy patches appear on various parts 
of the body, usually about the head, neck, and loins, the hairs 
of the affected spot being erect, bristly, broken, or split up, and 
dropping out. The affection, unless checked, may spread over the 
whole surface of the body. There is a slight discharge of fluid 
from the affected parts. In the horse, the affection is usually 
circumscribed in character, that is attacking and remaining con- 
fined to one part only. It yields to treatment very easily in the 
horse. 



112 Dr. LeGeab's Stock Book. 

Treatment. — Wash the affected parts well with castile soap and 
water *and apply the following ointment every morning: 

Iodide of potassium 1 dram. 

Iodine 1 dram. 

Vaseline 1 ounce. 

Mix. 

Carbolic acid lotions are always good and safe, except in the 
dog. The following lotion may he beneficial : 

Nitrate of silver 20 grains. 

Distilled water , , 1 ounce. 

Mix, and apply every morning with a swab or brush. 

The harness and blankets should be washed with a sloution of 
carbolic acid 1 part to 40 of water. 

WAETS. 

Warts may be defined to be unnatural growths, consisting of 
peculiar thickening or hardening of the true skin. They may ap- 
pear upon any part of the body, but are of more frequent occur- 
rence about the lips, eyelids, cheeks, ears, beneath the belly, and 
on the sheath, etc. They occur in every variety of shape, are very 
common amongst horses and cattle, in which animals they often 
occur in great numbers, and vary in size from a pea to that of a 
man's head. Sometimes the skin of an animal may be completely 
covered with them, while in others one or two of very large size 
may be present. 

Causes. — It is no easy matter just to state what may cause 
warts to appear on animals; however, a very trivial irritation, as 
a chafe from the harness, etc., may stimulate the skin to such an 



Dr. LeGeae's Stock Book. 113 

extent as to produce them. A highly stimulating diet, produc- 
ing a disordered state of the skin, may also cause warts, and there 
are probably other causes we know not of yet. 

Treatment. — Where warts are due to high feeding, a run at 
grass is very beneficial. If a wart has a constricted neck it may 
be removed with the knife or the ecrasure, the latter instrument 
being useful to prevent bleeding. Small warts may be clipped 
off with a pair of scissors and the roots touched with caustic or 
the hot iron. Large flat warts can be removed by rubbing on 
them once a day for a week dry arsenious acid. After you have 
applied the arsenic for five or six days, the wart cracks open and 
you can generally remove it with the fingers. 




Fig. 16. 



OLD SORES ON JACKS. 



These are very troublesome at times, as they are found so hard 
to heal. They are generally seen about the feet and legs and are 
caused in different ways. Thev may be due to bad blood, or 



114 De. LeGeab's Stock Book. 

come from an injury, as by the jack lying on the sore parts all 
the time. 

Treatment. — There is no medicine That will heal up sores of 
this kind like our Healing Lotion. Wash the sores once or twice 
a day with castile soap and water, and apply the Healing Lotion 
after each washing. If you think the jack's blood is bad, tins 
can be relieved by giving our Condition Powders. All jack own- 
ers will be more than pleased with this Healing Lotion when once 
tried. 

OEDEMA— STOCKING— SWELLED LEGS. 

This is quite frequently seen in the horse. It is caused by bad 
blood, debility, derangement of the kidneys, fast work upon hard 
roads, etc. It is often seen in connection with certain debilitat- 
ing diseases, as distemper, influenza, indigestion, pnemonia, etc. 

Symptoms. — It is oftenest seen in the hind legs at the ankles. 
The swelling may extend up above the hocks, but generally re- 
mains down about the ankles. After an animal has been driven 
one, two. or five miles the swelling may all disappear, but by let- 
ting the animal remain in the stable all night they will be swollen 
as bad as ever by morning. Stocking is more often due to bad 
blood and weak circulation. The blood is thin and watery, and 
a certain amount becomes lodged in the legs. In these cases the 
swelling will pit on pressure and is not fevered or sore. When 
due to any injury or from hard driving there is more or less fever 
and soreness, and it is quite firm and hard. 

Treatment. — If caused by debility, bad blood, etc.. give as a 
drench one pint raw linseed oil. and give full doses of our Con- 
dition Powders night and morning in damp feed for two or three 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 115 

weeks. Hand-rub and bandage the legs on coming in from a 
drive. The legs may be bathed with the following: 

Sulphate of zinc 6 drams. 

Sugar of lead 1 ounce. 

Water 1 pint. 

Mix, and apply well to the swelling two or three times 
per day. 

Give soft, easily digested food to eat. A run at grass 
is very beneficial. It is undoubtedly the very best treat- 
ment if the grass is good. The animal needs regular ex- 
ercise, good care, and good food. The weak circulation and 
watery condition of the blood can be entirely rectified by giving 
our Condition Powders. If due to hard driving, bandage the 
legs nicely with wet bandages every time on coming in from a 
drive. Let bandages remain on one or two hours. 

LYMPHANGITIS— WEED— MONDAY MORNING 

DISEASE. 

It is an inflammation of the lymphatic glands and vessels. 
The disease is also known as "weed," "water farcy," "Monday 
morning disease," "shot of grease," etc. , It is usually confined 
to the hind limbs, and seldom affects more than one leg at a 
time. The heaviest breeds of horses are more liable to an attack 
of lymphangitis than the lighter breeds. 

Causes. — A common cause is, after an animal has been used to 
hard work, allowing him to stand in the stable for a few days, 
and giving at the same time as much food as he had when work- 
ing; consequently the lymphatic glands and vessels become over- 
worked and clogged, inflammation follows, and lymphangitis be- 



116 Dr. LeGeae's Stock Book. 

comes established. Other causes are: direct injuries, as punc- 
tured wounds and kicks, cracked heels, etc. 

Symptoms. — The disease usually begins with a chill, rise in 
temperature, laboured breathing, and in a very short time fol- 
lowed by lameness in one leg and swelling on the inside of the 
thigh. The swelling gradually surrounds the whole limb, con- 
tinues on downward until it reaches the foot, often causing the 
animal to hold the limb up from the ground. The leg is very 
tender to the touch, and the animal has great difficulty in mov- 
ing it about. The limb is also found to be hot, the countenance 
bears a very anxious expression, and the animal usually stands. 
Constipation is usually present and the urine decreased in quan- 
tity and heightened in color. Lymphangitis is liable to termi- 
nate in iC big leg" if not properly treated. 

Treatment. — If the proper treatment is adopted at the begin- 
ning of the disease and properly carried out, it can be easily and 
successfully treated. The first thing to be done is to give a good 
purgative, as the following: 

Powdered Barbadoes aloes ^ 10 drams. 

Powdered ginger , 2 drams. 

Powdered nux vomica 1 dram. 

Nitrate of potash 3 drams. 

Water 1 pint. 

Mix, and shake well together, and give as a drench. 

Give 15 drops of tincture of aconite in one-half pint of cold 
water every four hours as a drench until the fever is checked. 
Feed sparingly on light food, as bran, grass, fodder, etc. Don't 
give any grain for a few days. Give 2 drams of nitrate of potassium 
in feed or drinking water morning and night for a week. Begin 
bathing the affected leg at once with right warm water. Wrap a 



Dr. LeGtEar's Stock Book. 117 

woolen cloth around the leg and keep it wet with warm water 
for two hours at a time, two or three times a day. Each time 
after bathing with warm water wipe dry and bathe the whole 
affected leg with our Liniment well rubbed in. 



118 Dr. LeGeae's Stock Book. 

CHAPTER IX. 

THE NEEVOUS SYSTEM. 

The nervous system is composed of the brain, spinal cord, and 
nerves. The brain is situated in the upper part of the skull, the 
spinal cord in the back-bone, and the nerves branch off, like the 
limbs of a tree, from the brain and spinal cord and extend to 
every part of the body. The brain generates the electricity, as 
it were, and the nerves convey the messages to and from the 
brain. When a nerve is cut, or divided, or if by any means the 
nervous force is shut off from any part of the body, local para- 
lysis will take place. Without nervous force there is no motion, 
nutrition, vitality, or lif e. If the spinal cord in the region of the 
back or loins is severed or injured there is immediate paralysis of 
the whole hind parts; while if the injury takes place in the neck, 
as by broken neck, death will soon follow. By piercing the 
spinal cord a few inches behind the ears with any sharp instru- 
ment, as a pin or small knife blade, death will immediately fol- 
low. Below will be found a brief description of the more im- 
portant diseases and injuries of the nervous system. 

SUFSTKOKE. 

Sunstroke occurs during the hot months of summer. It is a 
greater or less congestion of the brain, causing either partial or 
complete loss of motion, and often of sensation. 

Causes. — Causes which lay an animal liable to suffer from an 
attack are high feeding, irregular exercise, an insufficient supply 
of good water, badly ventilated stables, debility, etc. The direct 
cause is exposure to the sun during very hot weather, and more 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 119 

especially if the animal is doing heavy work, or is put to severe 
exertion of any kind. An animal in perfect health may suffer 
from an attack of sunstroke, but is not so liable to, as an animal 
debilitated from any cause whatever. 

Symptoms. — Generally before the trouble becomes well 
marked, there is an unusual dullness on the part of the animal, 
and as a rule he does not sweat as he should when put to exer- 
tion. The immediate attack is manifested suddenly. The ani- 
mal stops, drops his head, begins to stagger, and soon falls to 
the ground unconscious. The pulse is very slow and irregular, 
cold sweats break out on different parts of the body, the breath- 
ing is laboured and snoring, and the animal often dies without 
recovering consciousness. 

Treatment. — The treatment, to be successful, must be prompt 
and energetic. If the animal is out in the sun, put a shade over 
him and give a good stimulant, as: 

Sweet spirits of nitre 1 ounce. 

Whisky 6 ounces. 

Water 1 pint. 

Mix, and give as a drench, and repeat in one hour if 
necessary. 

Apply cold to the head in the form of pounded ice or cold 
water in cloths, and blanket the body and hand-rub and bandage 
the legs. If the animal can't swallow, stimulants as given above 
may be injected into the rectum where absorption will take place 
to a certain extent. Prop up the horse so he will rest on his 
breast bone. If he begins to improve, give him one dram of nux 
vomica in damp feed for several days, night and morning. The 
animal must be used very carefully the remainder of the sum- 
mer after an attack of sunstroke. 



120 Dr. LeGeae's Stock Book. 



HEATSTKOKE. 



Heatstroke also occurs during the hot months of summer. It- 
is quite similar to sunstroke, only that it is not produced by the 
direct rays of the sun. 

Causes. — Exhaustion produced by long continued heat is often 
the cause, and may properly be called heat exhaustion. Eace 
horses on the track undergoing continued and severe work in 
hot weather often succumb to this trouble. 

Symptoms. — For sometime previous to an attack, the animal 
usually requires urging, usually ceases to sweat and then becomes 
weak in his gait, the breathing hurried and panting, eyes watery 
and bloodshot, nostrils dilated, the pulse is rapid and weak, the 
heart bounding, followed by unconsciousness and usually death. 
If death should not take place, recovery usually extends over a 
long period of time, during which paralysis of the muscular sys- 
tem may persist. 

Treatment. — The treatment of this affection is about the same 
as that of sunstroke, with the. exception that instead of applying 
cold to the head, heat in the form of cloths wrung out of hot 
water is found to be of benefit. In both troubles, after recovery 
begins a good tonic is needed, as our Condition Powders, given 
in the usual size doses for several days. Use the animal with care 
and feed carefully for sometime after an attack. 

HEAD STAGGEBS. 

Causes. — As a rule it is due to some lesion of the brain, caused 
by temporary congestion, cerebral tumors, tight-reigning, stom- 
ach derangements, etc. A lack of blood to the brain may also 
cause it. 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 121 

Symptoms. — While being driven, the animal suddenly stops, 
elevates his head, staggers about from one side of the road to the 
other, becomes unmanageable, and falls to the ground. After 
lying down awhile, he gets up, stares about in a vacant manner, 
shakes himself, and apparently is all right. It is liable to come 
on a horse that is subject to it at any time. 

Treatment. — Give a good physic, and apply cold water to the 
head. Also give 4 drams of bromide of potash to quiet the 
nervous system. Some animals have but one attack, while others 
are subject to it. 

STKINGHALT. 

Stringhalt is a violent spasmodic jerking, or an irregular move- 
ment of one or both hind limbs, while the animal is in motion. 
Yery rarely it may be found to affect one of the fore limbs. 

Causes. — It is caused by some lesion or derangement of the 
nervous system. What this derangement may be is no easy mat- 
ter to determine. It is no doubt due to irregular distribution of 
nervous influence to the muscles that bend and extend the limb 
affected. This may be brought about by pressure on some part 
of the nervous system, as from tumors, blood clots, etc. 

Symptoms. — It is manifested by a sudden jerking up of one 
or both hind legs when the animal is in motion. This symptom 
may be very slight in some horses, but has a tendency to get 
worse with the age of the animal. In some the jerking up of the 
leg is very violent, the foot in some cases even striking the belly, 
and when it is lowered to the ground the motion is equally sud- 
den and forcible. It is a difficult disease to understand, and the 
affection constitutes an unsoundness. Most cases develop gradu- 
ally, but a case may develop in a very short time. 



122 De. Li: Gear's Stock Book. 

Treatment. — This is an incurable disease, therefore we can't 
recommend any treatment. There is an operation sometimes 
performed that occasionally gives relief, but we can't recom- 
mend it. therefore we will not describe it. 

PAEALYSIS— PALSY. 

Paralysis is the loss of the power of motion, either with or 
without the loss of sensation. It usually comes on suddenly, 
hence has been described as a "stroke/' but occasionally it comes 
on slowly. Paralytic affections are of two kinds: the "'perfect" 
and the "Imperfect." The former includes those in which both 
motion and sensation are lost, causing death very quickly; the 
latter those in which only one or the other is lost or diminished. 
It may again be described as "'general" and "partial." The lat- 
ter being divided into "hemiplegia/ 5 paralysis of one side of the 
body, and "paraplegia," paralysis of the hind quarters of the 
body. The latter form is the kind usually seen in animals. When 
only a small portion of the body is affected, as the face, a limb. 
the tail. etc.. it is known as local paralysis. 

Causes. — The causes are many. Most of the affections of the 
brain and spinal cord may lead to paralysis, such as injuries, 
tumors, disease of the blood vessels of the brain, etc. Pressure 
upon, or cutting in two of. a nerve causes paralysis of the parts 

to which the nerve is distributed. 

Symptoms. — In general paralysis the power of motion and sen- 
sation is lost and death soon follows. Hemiplegia is paralysis of 
one lateral half of the body. In severe cases the animal will go 
down and be unable to rise, death taking place in a short time; 
or he may live for several days and then die or he may recover. 
In mild cases he will not go down, but will drag the front and 
hind foot on the side paralyzed. In paraplegia the hind parts 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 123 

only are affected. In severe cases the animal can not rise at all, 
while in mild cases he may rise but will drag his hind feet more 
or less in walking. There may be local paralysis of the face, of 
the lips, of the tail, and other parts of the body. 

Treatment. — If treatment is thought advisable, give a good 
physic, such as reccommended for inflammation of the brain. If 
the animal is much excited give him 4 drams of bromide of po- 
tassium every four hours in the drinking water, or as a drench. 
If the animal is inclined to improve, give him 1 dram of powder- 
ed mix vomica night and morning in damp feed. Give bran, 
grass, fodder, hay, boiled oats, etc., to eat and plenty of cool 
water. In paraplegia rub our Liniment (see Appendix) well 
on his hips and loins three times a day, also apply blankets 
wrung out of hot water. In local paralysis rub the affected parts 
well two or three times a day with our Liniment. In cases that 
recover it may takes months to do so. 

CONCUSSION OF THE BKAIN. 

Concussion of the brain may take place in any animal, and 
occurs in a variety of ways. 

Causes. — It is usually caused, in the horse, by the animal run- 
ning away and striking his head against some hard object in a 
violent manner, rearing up and falling backwards, passing 
through a low doorway, blows, etc. Sometimes the bones of the 
skull are fractured and death soon follows. 

Symptoms. — If the animal has run away and fallen, he will be 
insensible to pain and unable to rise and walk. The pupil of the 
eye will be enlarged, the temperature of the body is considerably 
lower than in health, the breathing is snoring, etc. In an hour 

9 



124 Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 

or so the patient may show signs of returning consciousness, and 
usually makes an effort to rise exactly like a cow, hind legs first. 
If the pulse is strong, pretty good hopes of recovery may he ex- 
pected in a few hours or even a few minutes. 

Treatment. — Apply cold applications to the head, as ice or 
cold water, blanket and hand-rub the body, and bandage the 
legs. Give stimulants, as 1 ounce sweet nitre, 2 ounces alcohol, 
and water one-half pint. Mild cases generally recover in a short 
time, while in severe cases there may be fracture of the skull 
and death in a short time. Keep the patient as comfortable ;-s 
possible and sometimes recoveries take place where all loooked 
hopeless. 

ENCEPHALITIS— INFLAMMATION OF THE BEAIN. 

This is an inflammation of the whole of the brain. It is also 
known as "phrenitis." 

Causes. — Among the causes to be mentioned are exposure to 
extreme heat or cold, long continued brain excitement, direct 
injury to the brain, such as concussion, or fracture of the bones 
of the skull, from blows, etc. The character of the food, such as 
over-ripe grasses, decomposing roots, certain poisonous weeds or 
plants, etc., will produce it; in fact, mouldy or bad food of any 
kind. Tumors or abscesses forming in the brain also operate as 
causes of encephalitis. 

Symptoms. — The symptoms vary in different cases. In most 
cases the animal assumes a dull, listless attitude, but is easily ex- 
cited by a little noise, after which he soon relapses into his 
former dull, sleepy mood. When standing quietly in a box stall, 
he usually rests his head against the wall or the manger. In 
other cases the breathing becomes stertorous (snoring), the pulse 



Dr. LeG-eab's Stock: Book. 125 

becomes quickened, the eyes bloodshot, and the poor animal, 
in a state of frenzy (crazy), will knock himself about in the most 
violent manner. Sometimes the animal will lie on his side and 
keep pawing for hours. At other times he will try to place his 
fore leg over his head, or may stand until his nose comes in con- 
tact with the ground. Again he will raise his head, rear up, 
and make frantic efforts to climb up the wall or manger. In 
other cases he will continue to walk in a circle for hours at a 
time, and it is next to impossible to make him go in any other 
direction; in fact, it seems impossible for the animal to walk hi 
a straight line. The frenzy is well marked, and when present 
he bites and tears at any object in his reach. 

Pigs fed on refuse from kitchen, and cows fed on slops, also 
suffer from encephalitis. Over-ripe grasses, or too rich food, 
will also cause it in cattle. 

Treatment. — In a great may cases of this disease the animal 
is so wild or "crazy-like" that it is almost impossible to give any 
medicine, and unless you can get the bowels moving freely with 
a good physic there is not much hopes for the animal ever re- 
covering. Try and give the following: 

Powdered Barbadoes aloes 1 ounce. 

Powdered ginger 2 drams. 

Calomel 2 drams. 

Bromide of potash 6 drams. 

Water 1 pint. 

Mix, and shake well, and give as a drench. 

The above ingredients, except the water, may be made into a 
bolus with vaseline and put down over the root of the tongue. 
Keep the animal in as quiet a place as possible and where he 
can't injure himself. Keep a bucket of cool water before him all 
the time, into which put 6 drams of bromide of potash to quiet 



126 Dr. LeG-ear's Stock Book. 

nervous excitability. A bag of ice or cold cloths applied to the 
head is soothing to the brain. If the animal should happen to 
get better, give him 1 dram of powdered nux vomica in damp 
feed for two weeks, morning and night. 

HYSTERIA. 

Hysteria is a disease of the nervous system, characterized by 
a highly nervous and excitable condition. It is usually observed 
in mares and bitches. 

Causes. — The cause is supposed to be a change of some kind 
taking place in connection with the generative system. 

Symptoms. — Excitement is a well marked symptom. One 
peculiar symptom is continual neighing, with a sort of hiccough, 
in some cases, caused by spasm. In some cases there is a whitish 
or reddish discharge from the vulva. Hysteria usually occurs 
about the time of the animal coming into heat, but has been 
noticed in pregnant mares. These symptoms usually last for one 
or two days, and disappear without anything having been done. 
The appetite, in some cases, is interfered with; the animal often 
urinates, etc. 

Treatment. — Give the following: 

Calomel 2 drams. 

Bromide of potassium 4 drams. 

Raw linseed oil 1 pint. 

Mix, and give as a drench. 

Give 4 drams of bromide of potassium morning, noon, and 
night until relieved. Keej) the animal quiet, and give a light, 



De. LeG-eab's Stock Book. 127 

laxative diet. One ounce of laudanum or one-half ounce of fluid 
extract of belladonna may be given to quiet the animal. 

EPILEPSY— FALLING FITS. 

Epilepsy is occasionally observed in the horse, but is more 
frequently seen among dogs, when it is generally called fits. The 
attacks may be quite frequent, or may occur only once or twice 
a year. 

Causes. — Softening of the brain may cause it. In dogs, the 
cause is some irritation or derangement of the bowels, as worms, 
etc. 

Symptoms. — The attack is indicated by a well-marked con- 
vulsive fit. The animal suddenly staggers, falls to the ground, 
froths at the mouth, etc., the attack lasting for three or four 
minutes, after which he gets up, walks about in a dull manner, 
and in a short time is apparently all right. 

Treatment. — About the same treatment as that indicated for 
Hysteria. 

APOPLEXY. 

Apoplexy is not a very common trouble in the horse, but quite 
often seen among pigs. It is more commonly seen in fat animals 
not getting much exercise. 

Causes. — It is due to an arrest of the circulation of the blood 
in the brain, caused by a rupture of some of the blood vessels, or 
the formation of a small blood-clot, etc. 



J 9 



128 Db. LeG-eab's Stock Book. 

Symptoms. — It is suddenly developed with loss of sensation 
and motion, profound stupor, difficult breathing, etc. Some- 
times partial paralysis is present. 

Treatment. — Give a good physic and follow it up with bromide 
of potash in 4-dram doses. Apply cold water to the head, and 
keep the patient in a comfortable, quiet place. 

BLIND STAGGEKS. 

Blind staggers of horses is a disease occurring with greater 
frequency in the Southern States of our country than in the 
North. It usually attacks but few horses at a time, but in cer- 
tain years prevails to such an extent as to attack numbers of ani- 
mals at the same time and place. 

Causes. — Blind staggers is not contagious, as some suppose, 
but is a disease intimately connected with the character of the 
food. No doubt the most common cause of this disease is corn 
that is damaged in some way; such as mouldy, rusty, or smutty 
corn; or corn that is worm-eaten, rotten, or blasted, etc. Dam- 
aged grain or fodder of any kind, such as the result of very wet 
seasons, is quite sure to produce "Staggers." Some have noticed 
it in horses that have not had any grain. The mould, or fungus, 
which produces the disease is very common during wet seasons. 
It is not believed that any one species of fungus growth is en- 
tirely responsible for the disease, as several species of moulds, 
rusts, and smuts possess such poisonous properties. The green 
pencil mould is the fungus which is much the most abundant 
in our cornfields and cribs, and is no doubt the chief cause of 
Staggers resulting from feeding unsound corn. In those cases 
of the disease in horses not fed on grain, the same or other fun- 
gus growths may be found in the hay, pasture grasses, ensilage, 
etc. 



De. LeGeak's Stock Book. 129 

Symptoms. — About the first thing noticed by the owner is 
weakness in the hind quarters, and a staggering gait when walk- 
ing. Colicy pains may precede this symptom. Walking in a 
circle, reeling, drowsiness or stupor, blindness, leaning or push- 
ing the head against some object, and occasionally more or less 
frenzy, are all symptoms which may be seen in this disease. 

Other cases are entirely different, the horse showing no "brain 
symptoms" until a short time before death. Paralysis usually 
begins in the hind quarters and extends forward. In some cases 
the animal can not swallow, and the bowels are usually consti- 
pated. Few cases recover and death usually takes place in from 
one to three days. But in some cases a slow and imperfect re- 
covery takes place. 

Prevention and Treatment. — As the cause of the disease is in 
feeding musty or mouldy corn, oats, hay, etc., the prevention 
must be to do away with all inferior or damaged feed. Moulded 
or smutty ears of corn should never be fed to horses. As there is 
little that can be done after a horse takes blind staggers, it is all 
important to try and prevent it by being careful with the feed. 
In mild eases a good purgative may be given, such as is pre- 
scribed for constipation. Also give 1 dram of iodide of potas- 
sium, and 1 dram of powdered mix vomica night and morning. 
In bad cases there isn't much that can be done. 

CEEEBKO-SPINAL MENINGETIS. 

This disease is quite similar to blind staggers and is considered 
by some to be one and the same disease. It is an inflammation of 
the spinal cord, brain and coverings. 

Causes. — It is said to be caused by the influence of the air, bad 
ventilation, etc. Among the exciting causes are food and water 
containing vegetable and animal matter in a decayed or putrid 



130 Dk. LeGear's Stock Book. 

state, which have a poisonous effect on the system and produces 
the disease. Other causes which might be mentioned are: de- 
composing roots, brewers' grains, oats, hay, etc. 

Symptoms. — The symptoms of this disease vary considerably, 
according to the part or parts most affected. It is so similar to 
"Staggers," spoken of before, that it requires an expert to dis- 
tinguish the one from the other. There may be loss of power, 
spasm, and twitching of the muscles, either of the hind quarters 
or those of the head and neck. In very severe cases, the animal 
reels about, falls, and is unable to rise; the bowels are constipated 
and urine scanty, etc. In some cases well-marked brain trouble 
is present, the animal is dull and drowsy, and becomes quiet; 
this may soon be followed by convulsions and death. 

Treatment. — The treatment of this disease is not satisfactory, 
most of the cases dying. Where there is complete loss of power, 
they always die. The preventative treatment consists in chang- 
ing the food and water. If thought advisable to treat this dis- 
ease, you may use about the same treatment as that given for 
Blind Staggers. 

If the animal has any difficulty in swallowing, one-fourth- 
grain doses of sulphate of atropine may be injected under the 
skin every four, six, or eight hours, as the case may demand. 
The application of blisters to the spine, neck, throat, etc., may 
be found very beneficial. After giving a physic, and the animal 
is very excitable, 1 to 2 drams of the solid extract of belladonna 
may be alternated every four hours with 4 drams of bromide of 
potash. In cases of unconsciousness allow the animal to inhale 
ammonia water from a sponge. Allow all the cool water the 
animal will drink, and, if necessary, support them in slings. 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 131 



SPINITIS— SPINAL MENINGITIS. 

This is inflammation of the substance of the spinal cord, and 
if the coverings of the cord are also affected it is known as spinal 
meningitis. 

Causes. — Anything affecting the brain may also affect the 
cord. It may be induced by irritant properties of blood poisons, 
exhaustion, spinal concussion, exposure, all forms of injury to 
the spine, tumors, rheumatism, etc. 

Symptoms. — In the worst form of the disease the animal shows 
very great nervous irritation, sweating very freely, which would 
almost lead one to suspect that it was bowel trouble. He may 
fall to the ground, unable to rise without assistance. When upon 
his feet, he looks at his side — again suggesting a bowel trouble. 
When lying down he struggles violently to get up, and when up 
he makes the most frantic efforts to retain the standing position, 
but can not. Sometimes a bone is broken in the attempt to re- 
main standing. The animal may die in twenty-four or forty- 
eight hours from the first appearance of the attack. In the 
milder forms these symptoms are not so prominent. 

Treatment. — This is a disease that is not very successfully 
treated only in mild cases. When due to an injury and the back 
is broken, have the animal killed. A purgative may be given 
where there is any hope of recovery, and 1 dram of nitrate of 
potassium and 4 drams of bromide of potassium may be given 
three times a day. After the acute symptoms have passed, give 
1 dram of mix vomica morning and night for several days. Hot 
cloths should be applied to the spine and our Liniment well 
rubbed in three times a day over the whole length of the spinal 



132 Dr. LeG-ear's Stock Book. 

cord. Good care is very necessary. Not many cases of this dis- 
ease will set well. 



&' 



LOCKJAW— TETANUS. 

This disease is commonly known as lockjaw, but Tetanus is a 
better name, as in many cases the jaws are not set. It is a very 
fatal disease of the horse, as very few severe cases ever recover. 

Causes. — It was nntil recently supposed to be caused by some 
injury or lesion of the nervous system, but now it is known to be 
caused by a specific microbe (bacillus of Mcholaier), which must 
gain access to the animal's body before the disease can be pro- 
duced. This microbe, or bacillus, is found in many soils, barn- 
yard manure, filth, dirt, on rusty nails, partly-masticated food, 
etc. When this microbe once gets into the system it produces a 
toxine (poison), which acts like strychnine on the spinal cord, 
producing the tonic muscular spasms which are always seen in 
lockjaw. The disease is more often seen following a nail in the 
foot or any sore or wound in the foot, through which the mi- 
crobe gains access to the system. It may follow any wound or 
operation in any part of the body, or may come on without any 
wound or sore being present. 

Symptoms. — The disease may set in twenty-four hours after 
the microbes get into the animal's body, or it may be from eight 
to fourteen days. After once seen, the disease is generally easily 
detected. At first there is more or less stiffness, slight elevation 
of the tail and poking out of the nose. When you excite the ani- 
mal, these tonic muscular spasms are plainly seen, as well as the 
haw flashing over the eye. The jaws may or may not be set, but 
as a general thing they are set. The haw flashing over the eye, 
due to nervous spasms, is a never failing symptom of tetanus. 



De. LeGear's Stock Book. 133 

We have seen cases where the owner said his horse had the hooks, 
but it was a mild case of the tetanus. 

If by going in front of an animal and frightening him or rais- 
ing his head quickly the haw flashes over the eye and the animal 
gets somewhat excited, it is an unmistakable sign that he has or 
is getting the lockjaw. When the jaws are firmly set the animal 
can not eat at all — only suck a little water or liquid food between 
his teeth. They are generally great sufferers, as a look at their 
expression and action shows signs of severe agony. 

Treatment. — Almost every medicine in the pharmacopoeia has 
been tried in the treatment of tetanus (lockjaw), and the only 
one we can recommend as of any use is hyposulphite of soda. It 
must be remembered that perfect quietude in a darkened stall 
is very necessary. Have it perfectly quiet about the stall, as the 
least noise will excite the animal and aggravate the disease. 
Have no one go about the stall but one man who is caring for 
the horse. Put 4 drams of hyposulphite of soda in a bucket of 
drinking water three times a day and have the bucket of water 
before the horse all the time so he can drink when he wants to. 
As the jaws are genearlly locked, the only nourishment the ani- 
mal can take is water and sloppy food. Keep such sloppy food 
as bran, boiled oats, linseed tea, etc., before him, very wet and 
sloppy, all the time. If the animal is very excitable, give him 
dissolved in the drinking water 2 drams of bromide of potassium 
with the hyposulphite of soda three times per day. Don't try 
to drench the horse, as that excites him too much. Keep up the 
hyposulphite of soda until the animal is well. Of course we don't 
claim this remedy will cure every case nor a majority of cases, 
but we do claim it will cure where all other remedies fail. It is 
inexpensive and easily given. It will after a few days regulate 
the bowels and kidneys, so don't feel uneasy if they are not mov- 
ing at first. The legs may swell and the hair come out all over 
the body, but don't feel uneasy about that, as that will all come 



134 Dk. LeGeak's Stock Book. 

right if the animal lives. It may take two or four weeks to cure 
an animal with lockjaw, but don't despair, as there is hope as 
long as there is life. If the disease is due to an injury or nail in 
the foot, it should be cleaned out and washed clean and dressed 
daily with 

Iodine 1 part. 

Iodide of potassium 2 parts. 

Distilled water 100 parts. 

Mix, and apply to the sore once or twice a day. 

If at the very beginning of an attack, and before there is much 
excitement, the following treatment has proved quite successful 
in many cases: A good physic containing 2 drams of the solid 
-extract of belladonna may be given in the form of a ball or as a 
drench: or dissolve the physic in a small quantity of oil and 
throw it back on the back part of the animal's tongue with a 
syringe. In no case force medicine down the horse's throat if 
there is difficulty in swallowing. In such cases give the follow- 
ing every four, six, or eight hours, according to the excitement 
of the animal: 

Sulphate of atropine J grain. 

Sulphate of morphine 5 grains. 

Distilled water 1 dram. 

Mix, and inject under the skin. 

Also, injections per rectum of the following may be given 
<everv four or six hours: 

Fluid extract of belladonna 1 dram. 

Indian hemp 1 dram. 

Milk or gruel 1 quart. 

Mix. 



Dk. LeGear's Stock: Book. 135 

Sprinkle the stall or room the horse is in once a day with car- 
holic acid 1 ounce, water 1 gallon. There is a preparation called 
Tetanus Antitoxin, that is of rather recent discovery, that is 
proving to be a very valuable agent in the treatment of this 
disease in the hands of the veterinary profession. It is a serum 
preparation and is injected under the skin to destroy the toxin 
(poison) caused by the germs of the disease. This antitoxin is 
but little used as yet in the South, and is rather expensive to use 
on the common class of horses in Texas. 



136 De. LeGeae's Stock Book. 

CHAPTER X. 

DISEASES OF THE EYE. 

We can scarcely OYerestimate the value of sound eyes in the 
horse, and hence all diseases and injuries of the eye, if they prove 
permanent, will greatly depreciate the usefulness and value of 
the horse. A blind horse is always dangerous in the saddle or in 
single harness. Again, a horse with partial sight or impaired 
vision that sees things imperfectly, or imagines he sees things 
that are not present, is still more dangerous than a totally blind 
horse. 

SIMPLE, OE EXTEENAL OPTHALMIA. 

This is a disease nearly always caused by an injury and is an 
inflammation of the lining membrane (conjunctiva) of the eye, 
and if neglected will in many instances cause great trouble. 

Causes. — It may be caused by blows with whips, clubs, or twigs, 
the presence of foreign bodies like hay-seeds, grassburrs, chaff, 
dust, lime, sand, etc. Foul air from badly kept stables or keep- 
ing a horse in a dark, damp stable and sudden exposure to the 
bright sunlight may cause the trouble. 

Symptoms. — The eye is partially or completely closed, water- 
ing of the eye, swollen lids, redness of the mucus membrane, 
etc. After a short time the whole cornea may turn a bluish or 
whitish color, and a thick, yellow deposit may take place in the 
lower part of the eye. If due to a direct injury to the cornea a 
white spot can be plainly seen on the cornea. This bluish or 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 137 

whitish film or scum that forms is not on the outside of the eye, 
but is between the layers of the cornea. 

Treatment. — In treating simple ophthalmia it is very essential 
to find the cause and remove it if possible. If any foreign body, 
like a grassburr, hayseed, splinter, chaff, etc., is in the eye, re- 
move it. To examine a horse's eye apply a twitch to the nose 
and gently part the eyelids with the thumb and forefinger press- 
ed on the middle of the respective lids, or use Eye Speculum 




Fig 17. Eye Speculum, used to open the eye for examining and operating 

on the eye. 



(Fig. 17). After removing any foreign substance, if there is 
much fever bathe the eye freely with warm water in winter, and 
cold water in summer, and apply as directed some of our Eye 
Water (see Appendix) morning and evening. If taken in time, 
this treatment will remove all inflammation and all white spots 
and whitish films from the cornea. 



138 Dk. LeGtEak's Stock Book. 



THE HAW— MEMBRANE NICTITANS. 

The haw is an appendage of the eye placed there by nature 
for the express purpose of removing any foreign substance, as 
dust, cinders, sand, or anything that may get on the eyeball and 
cause pain. The haw, sometimes called "washer of the eye," is 
supplied by nature to the eyes of all animals and birds, except 
man and the monkey tribe, which use their hands or paws for 
that purpose. In the normal restful state of the eye only the 
thin anterior edge of the haw can be seen at the inner angle of 
the eye, but when by some cause the eyeball is pushed back into 
its socket or drawn back by muscular contraction it can be 
plainly seen projecting over and partially or completely cover- 
ing the eyeball. When foreign bodies, such as sand, dust, chaff, 
etc., get into the eye it is projected to push them out, their ex- 
pulsion being favored by a free flow of tears. In lockjaw, the 
haw is plainly seen projecting over the eye by the muscular con- 
traction in each spasm, and it is also seen in a lesser extent in all 
painful inflammations of the eye. The projection of the haw, 
no matter from what cause, is universally known, by people not 
familiar with the anatomy and diseases of the horse, as the 
"hooks." 

HOOKS. 

Hooks, like bots, and hollow horn, is not recognized by the 
Veterinary Profession as a disease. It is no disease, but is sim- 
ply a symptom of some disease. What is universally known 
as hooks by most of the horsemen in this country is the projec- 
tion of the haw (read the article on the haw) partially or com- 
pletely over the eyeball as the result of some disease. It is a 
symptom of lockjaw, inflammation, or a foreign substannce in the 
eye. If due to a foreign substance, such as sand, chaff, cinders, 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 139 

dust, etc., remove it and bathe with hot water. If due to inflam- 
mation, bathe with hot water and apply morning and night some 
of Dr. Le Gear's Eye Water (see Appendix), which will cure it 
in a few days. The cruel practice of cutting out the "hooks,'' 
as a supposed cure by some men, is brutal in the least, and should 
not be tolerated. What they cut out is the haw, or part of it, 
and when removed the eye's greatest protection is gone, therefore 
the value of the horse is depreciated to a considerable extent. 
Only in very rare and extreme cases is it ever necessary to re- 
move the haw or a portion of it, and that is when it is greatly 
ulcerated or diseased by a tumor. If removed at all, it should be 
done by a qualified veterinary surgeon. We would advise all 
horse owners to use no other treatment than warm water and Dr. 
Le Gear's Eye Water, as that will cure nine out of every ten 
cases of the would-be disease "hooks." 

PERIODIC OPHTHALMIA. 

This disease causes more blind horses in Texas than any other 
disease, and is characterized by the suddenness of the attack and 
the reappearing of the disease in a few weeks, a few months, or 
perhaps not before several years. By some it is called "moon- 
blidness," or "moon eyes," as the changes of the moon was form- 
erly thought to be the cause of the recurring attacks. 

Causes. — The causes of this disease are sometimes pretty hard 
to account for. There exists within the system a predisposition 
to the disease; in other words, the disease must exist within the 
system in a latent form, which must take some exciting cause to 
bring it out, as overheating by driving or working, extremes of 
heat and cold, improperly ventilated and badly lighted stables, 
poor food, debilitating diseases, etc. This is one of the heredi- 
tary diseases, as a sire or dam affected with the disease nearly 

10 



140 Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 

always transmits it to their offspring. We would strongly urge 
all breeders of fine horses never to use a mare or stallion for 
breeding purposes that has weak eyes or blindness. Lexington, 
one of the greatest race horses and sires America ever produced, 
went blind from over work, and a large number of his colts be- 
came blind from Periodic Ophthalmia. A horse may have sev- 
eral attacks of the disease and still the eye not be much changed, 
while again two or three severe attacks may cause total blind- 
ness. 

Symptoms. — The disease is very sudden in its attacks. Your 
horse may be all right at night, but in the morning he may have 
one or both eyes swollen, and sore and discharging great quanti- 
ties of tears. As a rule, one eye is generally affected at a time, 
and it may have half a dozen attacks or more and go blind: then 
the other eye is liable to become affected in the same way. After 
each attack the eyeball becomes smaller and the eyelid more 
shrunken, and the cornea gradually becomes of a bluish white 
color. The attacks vary greatly in severity in different cases, 
but all cases finally terminate in cataract and blindness. 

Treatment. — The treatment of the disease is not satisfactory, 
as there is no known remed} T that is a sure cure for the disease, 
and the animal is very liable, sooner or later, to go blind. The 
object of treatment, therefore, is to lessen the severity of the 
attacks, and try to ward off the occurrence of the same. The 
treatment consists of local applications to the eye and medicine 
given internally for the blood and nerves. Give as a drench 1 
pint of raw linseed oil, and follow up with one-half dram of 
powdered colchicum ever}- morning and 1 dram of iodide of potas- 
sium every night in damp feed. Give the colchicum and iodide 
of potassium for four or five days, and then give regular for ten 
days one teaspoonful morning and night of Dr. LeGear s Condi- 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 141 

tion Powders. (See Appendix.) In the beginning of an attack 
bathe the eye with warm water and apply a few drops with a soft 
feather of Dr. LeGear's Eye Water (see Appendix) night and 
morning. Put the animal in a dark stall, or bind a piece of 
soft cloth over the eye to keep ont the bright light. If this treat- 
ment is carried out at each attack, a horse can, in most of cases, 
be kept from going blind for a long time. 

CATAEACT. 

As there is no successful treatment for Cataract, it will be of 
no benefit to the reader of this book for us to give a long descrip- 
tion of the disease, so we will make it very brief. Occasionally 
it is caused by a direct injury to the eye, but is invariably the re- 
sult of Periodic Ophthalmia. Cataract is an opacity of the crys- 
talline lens, or its capsule, and can be recognized by a white spot. 
in the pupil, which spot may be large or small. 

Treatment is useless, as it is incurable in the horse. 

WHITE SPOTS AND BLUISH WHITE SCUM ON THE 

CORNEA. 

The white spots on the eyes of so many horses are generally 
due to a lick in the eye with a whip or the like, and the white 
scum that covers the eye is generally the result of Simple Oph- 
thalmia. If these spots and scums are not too thick and of too 
long standing they can be removed by using Dr. LeGear's Eye 
Water twice per day for one or two weeks. 

After giving the Eye Water a fair trial and it fails to remove 
them, try the following lotion: 



142 Db. LeGtEak's Stock Book. 

Nitrate of silver 8 grains. 

Sulphate of morphine 5 grains. 

Distilled water . . 1 ounce. 

Mix, and apply a few drops into the eye with a camel's 
hair brush or a feather, morning and night. 

ULCEES OF THE COENEA. 

Ulceration of the cornea is generally due to direct injuries, 
and may be cured by applying Dr. Le Gear's Eye Water morning 
and evening for a few days. 

In very bad cases get a stick of solid nitrate of silver, scrape 
it to a point, and touch the growth on the cornea with it; in a 
few minutes wash the eye thoroughly with warm sweet milk. 
Eepeat every three days if necessary. Be careful not to touch 
any other part with the caustic than the growth. Spread the 
eyelids with the thumb and finger, or use the eye speculum 
(Fig. 17.) 

Or the following lotion may be used: 

Sulphate of zinc * . 5 grains. 

Nitrate of silver 12 grains. 

Cocaine hydrochlorate 15 grains. 

Distilled water 1 ounce. 

Mix, and apply a few drops into the eye morning and 
night. 

TUMOES OF THE EYEBALL. 

This is rather a rare affection, but is occasionally met with. 
The tumor may be of a cancerous nature, or only a simple fatty 
tumor. The only treatment is to have it dissected out as soon 
as possible, or removed by the use of caustics. 



De. LeGear's Stock Book. 145 



PALSY OF THE NERVE OF SIGHT— AMAUROSIS. 

This is a partial or complete blindness as a result of paralysis 
of the optic nerve (nerve of the eye) without there being much 
change in the looks of the eye. The eye may look clear and all 
right and the horse be perfectly blind. 

Causes. — It may be caused by tumors or other diseases of the 
brain; blows on the head that injure the optic nerve. Severe 
bleeding may cause this trouble, and it is sometimes seen in 
mares heavy with foal. 

Symptoms. — The eyes are clear and sound looking, with the 
exception that the pupil is generally dilated and round, and the 
horse can see only partially or not at all. Both eyes are gen- 
erally affected, except where it is due to an injury of one eye. 

Treatment. — The treatment of this disease is not generally suc- 
cessful. Unless taken when first affected, treatment is useless. 
Give one dram of powdered nux vomica once a day in damp feed 
and apply a blister behind the ear. 



144 De. LeGeae's Stock Book. 

CHAPTER XI. 

DISEASES OF THE HEART. 

The heart is a hollow, muscular organ, situated in the cavity 
of the chest, and divided into four compartments, known as the 
auricles and the ventricles. In form, it resembles a blunt cone, 
and has an average weight in the horse of six and one-half 
pounds. The heart is the centre of the circulation of the blood, 
and like a force pump, it forces the blood to all parts of the body 
through certain tubes or vessels called arteries; the blood returns 
to the heart through another set of vessels called veins. The 
arteries carry the pure blood, which contains nutritive principles, 
to nourish and build up every living tissue; while the veins in 
turn carry the blood which is impregnated with impurities of 
the body back to the heart, thence it goes to the lungs to be puri- 
fied again by coming in contact with the oxygen of the air. 

The heart is a vital organ and has an important work to per- 
form, but the diseases of the same are rather difficult to recog- 
nize. Not many of the diseases of the heart can be influenced 
hy treatment, so we will confine ouselves to but a very few of 
the principal ones. 

THE PULSE. 

What is the pulse, and where can it be found? It is the beat- 
ing of the arteries (tubes carrying blood from the heart), which 
follow each contraction of the heart. The pulse tells you how 
fast the heart is beating. The artery usually selected in the 
horse for taking the pulse, is the one (submaxillary) that winds 
around the lower jawbone. It can be readily felt with the fin- 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 



145 




Fig. 18. The manner of taking the pulse. 



gers by gently pressing the artery against the inner side of the 
jaw. as seen in Figure 18. 

In the healthy horse the pulse will beat on an average 
about 35 a minute; yet in some horses it may only be 30 or even 
40 and the animal be in perfect health. The breed and tem- 
perament of an animal has a great deal to do with the number 
of pulse beats. In a thoroughbred the number of beats is gen- 
erally greater than in a coarse-bred horse. The pulse is less 
frequent in a dull, plethoric animal than in an excitable one. 
The pulse rate, then, should always be taken when the animal is 
quiet and at rest. Work, exercise, etc., increases the number of 
pulsations. A horse's pulse taken when he is standing quietly 
in the stable will be found less frequent than when he is at pas- 
ture. The number of pulsations in a given time differs consider- 
ably in different animals. In cattle the pulse varies in adults 
from tO to 50. lint in cows it varies considerably from a grea1 



146 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 



many different causes. In the dog the pulse beats from TO to 80 
times per minute. 

TEMPERATURE. 

It is important in disease to know what the temperature of the 
body is, and also how to take it. The average temperature of a 
healthy horse is about (nearly) 100 deg. F. Still it may range 




Fig. 19. Clinical or Fever Thermometer. 

from 99 deg. to 101 deg. F. The temperature of the body is 
subject to changes by certain influences. The animal tempera- 
ture is increased by heat, while cold decreases it. Exercise, work, 
etc., also increases it. Drinking cold water lowers the animal 
temperature. It is higher in young animals than in old ones. 
Mares have a higher temperature than males. During the pro- 
cess of digestion the temperature increases. 

The proper and most accurate method of taking the tempera- 
ture is by means of a registered clinical thermometer (Fig. 19) 
inserted into the rectum. Before inserting it you should see that 
the mercury is below the minimum (say 90 degrees). The end 
containing the mercury should be pushed in gently, leaving only 
sufficient of the other end outside to take hold of when you de- 
sire to withdraw it. The thermometer should be left in the rec- 
tum (last gut) from three to four minutes. 

The method of taking the temperature by placing the finger 
in the mouth requires considerable practice and delicacy of touch 
to become expert, but. when a thermometer is not at hand, a little 
practice will enable most any person of ordinary intelligence to 
detect the presence or absence of fever. 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 147 

The temperature, like the pulse, varies considerably in differ- 
ent animals. The average normal temperature of cattle in con- 
finement is about 101 deg. F.; in cattle at liberty, or oxen ut 
work, it runs up about 102 deg. F. In calves it runs up a little 
higher, while in very old animals it is lower than the average 
normal temperature. 

PEEICAEDITIS. 

This is an inflammation of the pericardium (sack surrounding 
the heart), and occurs in all animals, especially cattle. 

Causes. — It may be induced by cold and damp stabling, ex- 
posure and fatigue, from wounds caused by broken ribs, etc. 
Pericarditis is often associated with rheumatism, influenza, pleu- 
risy, and other debilitating diseases. 

Symptoms. — Usually the disease abruptly manifests itself with 
pain in moving, a short, painful cough, rapid and short breath- 
ing, and high temperature, with a rapid and hard pulse. By 
placing the ear against the left side of the chest behind the elbow 
a rasping sound (known as the to-and-fro friction) may be heard. 
In three or four days this sound may disappear, due to a disten- 
tion of the pericardium with a watery fluid. When dropsy takes 
place, death is quite sure to follow. 

Treatment. — In the acute form, mix equal parts of tincture of 
digitalis and tincture of aconite, and give 20 to 30 drops as a 
drench every hour until the temperature becomes reduced. The 
body should be clothed in blankets and the legs well bandaged. 
If considerable pain is present give 2 ounces of tincture of opium 
once or twice a day as a drench. Put nitrate or bicarbonate of 
potassa, half an ounce, in drinking water every six hours; after 
three or four days, iodide of potassa, in 2 dram doses, should be 



148 Dk. LeGeae's Stock Book. 

substituted. Besides this, a good mustard plaster may he 
applied well up the sides of the chest with benefit. Feed on 
light but highly nutritious food, such as will be easily digested. 

CAEDITIS. 

This is an inflammation of the heart itself, but is usually ac- 
companied by other diseases of the heart. Death is usually the 
result where the whole or a large part of the heart substance is 
inflamed. If the inflammation is situated in a small part, re- 
covery may take place. 

Treat mod. — The treatment is about the same as laid down 
for pericarditis, which see. 

There are many other diseases of the heart, such as endocar- 
ditis, hypertrophy, dilatation of, rupture of. valvular disease of, 
venous regurgitation, foreign bodies in, etc. As it is rather a 
difficult matter to detect these troubles, and but few of them 
yield to the best of treatment, we will not give a separate descrip- 
tion of them. If treatment is adopted, treat about the same as 
for pericarditis. 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 149 

CHAPTER XII. 
BONES. 

The bones of a vertebrate animal form the skeleton (Plate I.), or 
frame- work upon which the body is built. There are about 216 
separate bones; or including the teeth, 256 pieces in the skeleton 
of a horse. These bones come together by means of joints, and 
are held in place by ligaments, tendons, and muscles. Bones are 
divided into long, flat, and irregular bones, for convenience of 
description. Long bones are found principally in the legs, and 
are composed of a very hard, compact tissue, in the centre of 
which is a hollow, called the bone cavity, and filled with a sub- 
stance called the marrow. In the marrow will be found nerves, 
blood vessels, lymphatics, and fatty tissue. The bones in the 
legs of a thoroughbred horse are smaller but stronger than thos^ 
of the heavy draft, coarse-boned animal. 

Bone is composed of earthy matter and animal matter. To 
the earthy matter it owes its hardness, and to the animal matter 
its toughness. The relative proportions of earthy and animal 
matter vary according to age. In the young animal they are 
about equal, but as age advances the earthy matter becomes 
more abundant, and in old animals the bones become very brittle 
and easily broken. In the trouble known as rickets, the earthy 
salts are wanting, and, as the animal matter predominates. 
the bones are soft and bend easily. Bones are surrounded by a 
fine, fibrous enveloping membrane (the periosteum), which is 
closely adherent to the external surface of the bone, and is, in 
fact, the secreting membrane of the bony structure. Below will 
be found a brief description of the various diseases and injuries 
to which the bones of the body are liable. 




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152 Dr. LeG-ear's Stock Book. 



FRACTURES. 

Fractures are more or less common among the lower animals, 
but probably occur with greater frequency amongst dogs. They 
rank among the most serious troubles to which an animal can be 
subjected. There are several kinds of fractures, which are as 
follows: 

Simple fracture is that form in which the bone is broken in a 
clean manner, and straight or nearly straight across. 

Compound fracture is where the broken ends of the bone 
separate, pierce the soft tissues, injure the skin, etc. 

Comminuted fracture is where the bone is broken in several 
places or shattered. 

Compound comminuted fracture is a combination of the two 
forms of fracture described above. In this form of fracture the 
shattered bone also enters the soft tissues, lacerating them to a 
greater or less extent. Besides the above kinds of fracture, we 
may have the "complicated," when important blood vessels, 
nerves, or a joint are involved; an "'oblique fracture" is so called 
on account of the break extending obliquely (slantingly) across 
the bone. It frequently happens that there is fracture without 
displacement, being held in place by the periosterim (bone cover- 
ing) for days or weeks, until complete reunion takes place. 

Fractures may occur in a great many ways, and sometimes in a 
very simple manner; slipping in some cases being sufficient to 
break a bone. Muscular contraction, during the struggles of an 
animal when thrown and tied for an operation, is not an uncom- 
mon cause of fracture; rearing up and falling backwards is a com- 
mon cause of fracture of the bones of the neck or back part of 
the head. External injuries, such as blows, kicks, etc., also cause 
fractures. 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 



153 



Symptoms. — As a general thing, fractures are easily recog- 
nized, but in cases of much swelling it becomes a matter of diffi- 
culty to state positively whether a fracture has taken place. 
Sometimes the fractured ends of the bone may pass each other, 
when it is easily recognized, as it can be felt with the fingers, or 
even detected with the eye. On examining a fracture, the broken 
ends of the bone come into contact, and passing over each other 
give rise to a grating sound. In some cases this sound is very plain, 
but in cases of swelling, or where the bone is deeply situated, this 
grating sound might not be heard. 




Fig. 20. The Sling. 



Treatment. — There is good reason to believe that a fractured 
bone in the lower animals can be repaired in much less time than 
would be occupied in the union of a similar fracture occurring in 
man; but treatment of fracture in the lower animals is rendered 
a matter of great difficulty on account of the trouble in applying 
and retaining splints and other appliances; also on account of 
the difficulty in keeping the patient quiet. Generally speaking, 
if the animal he of little value it will be well to have it killed and 



154 



De. LeGeak's Stock Book. 



put out of its misery. On the other hand, if the animal be a 
valuable one and the fracture not too extensive, it may be well 
to fry treatment. The fractured ends of the bone should be 
brought as nearly together as possible and 
kept in place by bandages, splints, or other 
appliances, according to the location and ex- 
tent of the fracture. If the fracture be in one 
of the limbs, the animal should be placed in 
slings (Fig. 20) to keep him quiet and keep 
the weight off the injured limb. Plaster of 
paris bandages may be applied by spreading 
the plaster of paris on a domestic bandage 
about four inches wide and as long as neces- 
sary. Then roll the bandage up and wet it, 
and apply it snugly to the leg above and be- 
low and right over the fracture. When the 
bandage dries it will get very hard and stilf 
and make a good support to the broken bone. 
Bandages wet in starch may be used in place 
of the above, which work well in some cases. 
Splints may be bound on with bandages of plaster of paris, 
which in some cases are a great help in keeping the bones in 
place. Cooling applications should be applied above and below 
the bandages if any swelling takes place, such as cold water. 
Also bathe the parts well with our Liniment (see Appendix) two 
or three times per day. Keep a bucket of cool water before the 
animal all the time, into which may be dissolved 1 dram of salt- 
petre twice per day. Keep the bowels moving freely by giving 
raw linseed oil as a drench. Give bran mashes, chops, boiled 
oats, green grass, fodder, etc., to eat. Give regularly in the feed 
morning and night one teaspoonful of our Condition Powders 
(see Appendix) to purify the blood and aid reunion of the broken 
bones. Broken legs in dogs can generally be successfully treated 
by applying a plaster of paris bandage nicely to the parts and 




Fig. 21. 
Fracture Splint. 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 155 

keeping the animal quiet for two or three weeks. It generally takes 
from one to three months for a fracture to unite in a horse, so 
don't be in too big a hurry to put the animal to work after you 
think a fracture is healed. A horse may be kicked on the inside 
of the hind leg just above the hock, and although the bone is 
cracked or broken it may not separate for one or two weeks, and 
then the bone gives way and the leg breaks clear off. Why it 
remains in place so long is because the periosteum (covering of 
the bone) is so thick in this location. If a horse gets kicked in 
this place he should be kept perfectly quiet for two or three 
weeks to give the bones a chance to unite if they are broken. 
If any of the bones of the leg become broken clear off and the 
bones come through the skin, it is advisable to kill the animal at 
once, as a recovery is hopeless. 

RICKETS— RACHITIS. 

Rickets, or rachitis, occurs in young animals of all kinds, but 
is more common in puppies than the young of other animals. 
It is due to a lack of lime salts, or an excess of animal matter, 
in the bones. 

Causes. — It has a tendency to occur among the offspring of 
stallions or dogs that have been overdone in stud service, and is 
more likely to appear in weakly or unhealthy animals. Weaning 
the animal at too early a period, and forcing him to eat food that 
is only fit for an old animal to eat, or milk deficient in certain 
elements received from the mother, may also be mentioned as 
causes of rickets. 

Symptoms. — The bones of the limbs are seen to bend unnat- 
urally; the fore-legs may bend outward and the hind ones bend 
inward; and in the horse there is a tendency to curb, bog-spavin. 
11 



156 Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 

etc.. and the joints usually become enlarged. There is also 
weakness and debility, and in a well marked case affecting the 
horse the fetlock may descend nearly to the ground on the out- 
side, with stiffness and difficulty in progression. 

Treatment. — The treatment of this trouble must be both local 
and constitutional. If the mother's milk is the cause by not be- 
ing rich enough, increase her feed, and let it be of the very best 
quality: wheat bran, ground oats, good hay, fodder, grass, etc. 
Give the mother the following: 

Powdered sulphate of iron 1 ounce. 

Powdered gentian 2 ounces. 

Quinine 4 drams. 

Anise seed 2 drams. 

Mix, and make eight powders, and give one in her feed 
night and morning. 

She will impart strength to the colt from the medicine through 
her milk. Support the weakened legs with nice soft bandages. 
Keep the colt in a comfortable place and nature will do a great 
deal in forming a cure. Give the puppy bones to gnaw on; lime 
water and cod liver oil will be found beneficial. 

CAEIES. 

This is decay or death of bone in small particles. The bones 
of the spine (backbone) are often affected, as in poll-evil and fis- 
tula. The bones oftenest affected in the extremities are the 
bones of the hock, the pastern, and navicular bones. A dried 
specimen of decaved bone presents a dry, worm-eaten appearance. 
In the hock-joint caries is associated with spavin, and in the 
navicular bone with navicular disease. Caries is sometimes ac- 
companied by a discharge of a very offensive odor. 



Dk. LeGear's Stock Book. 157 

Treatment. — If it is in connection with, fistula or poll-evil, cut 
clown upon the parts and remove all diseased portions of bone 
with a bone spoon or pair of bone forceps, and cleanse the ends 
of the bones with peroxide of hydrogen applied full strength 
twice a day. If the decay of bone is in a joint, a good stimulating, 
penetrating blister should be applied, and there is nothing equal 
to our Spavin Cure (see Appendix) in these cases. 

NECROSIS. 

This simply means death of bone. It is not very common in 
the lower animals, and when it does take place it is generally 
due to some injury. After a bone dies it looks real white, and it 
seems to be harder than natural, and finally, becoming exposed 
to the air, it crumbles, separates, and comes away. Xecrosis is 
seen in connection with the lower jaw, caused by the action 
of the bit. When a portion of bone dies it must be got rid of in 
some way; if nature fails to remove it, surgical means must be 
employed. 

Symptoms. — After necrosis takes place a kind of material is 
thrown out which covers the dead portion to a certain extent. 
After a while a discharge from the affected parts takes place 
and an abscess is formed, at which time the dead bone is sep- 
arated from the living, etc. The discharge from decayed bone is 
very offensive. 

Treatment. — Enlarge the opening with a sharp lance and with 
a pair of forceps or tweezers remove any dead portions of bone 
that are present. Thoroughly syringe out the cavity with clean 
water and carbolic acid, 1 to 40. Then wasli out the cavity 
every morning with clean water and inject peroxide of hydrogen, 
which will cleanse and heal the bone. 



158 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 



SPLINTS. 



A splint is a bony enlargement, usually situated on the inside 
of the leg between the knee or the hock and the fetlock (ankle) 
joint. Occasionally splints are seen on the outside of a horse's 
leg. There is what is called the high splint and the low splint, 
the former being the most serious. Splints are more often seen 
in young horses. 

Causes. — Some colts are more subject to splint than others, 
owing to their build and action when traveling. External in- 
juries of various kinds, as kicks, blows, cuts, etc., are quite com- 
mon causes of the trouble. The most productive cause of splint, 
however, is concussion, due to riding or driving on hard roads. 
Country horses coming to the city usually develop splint very 
quickly, and it is very common among city horses. Improper 
shoeing and allowing the feet to grow out of shape, are con- 
ditions which are apt to cause splint, espe- 
cially if the animal is driven on hard roads. 

Symptoms. — In most cases the animal 
shows lameness; he walks almost or quite 
sound, and when trotted he drops on the 
sound leg, especially if driven on hard 
ground. The hand should be passed down 
the sides of the cannon bone of the leg- 
affected, to discover, if possible, any enlarge- 
ment. This may be of some difficulty, as 
the enlargement may not be as large as a 
pea. The presence of heat in the part may 
be of some use as a guide to discover the 
trouble. When found, press upon the en- 
largement with the fingers and observe 
whether the animal shows or manifests 




Fig. -it. 
(a) High. 



Splints. 
(6) Low. 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 159 

pain; tap upon it and the animal will flinch, and on being 
trotted out immediately afterwards the lameness is increased. 
An animal may have very large splints for years and never be 
lame from them. 

Treatment. — Unless a horse is lame from a splint, it is advis- 
able to let it alone. After a horse has had a splint for several 
months, it becomes solid bone, and there is no medicine that will 
take it off without seriously injuring the leg. If the splint 
is taken in time, before it turns to solid bone, it can be removed 
by using our Spavin Cure (see Appendix) as directed. If taken 
in time a splint may be rubbed off by thoroughly rubbing it two 
or three times a day for several weeks. If the animal is lame 
nothing more is required to cure him than our Spavin Cure well 
rubbed in according to directions. If the animal is much lame 
he should have two or three weeks rest during treatment or a run 
at pasture. 



RING-BONE. 

A ring-bone is a bony enlargement extending around the leg 
just above the foot. They are divided into high and low ring- 
bones. A low ring-bone is one where the bony enlargement 
comes down under the hoof and affects the cofhn- joint, while a 
high ring-bone affects the pastern joint, and may even affect the 
ankle joint. It is a false ring-bone when the bony growth does 
not come on any of the joints. Ring-bone may come on the 
front or hind legs, but is oftener seen on the hind legs. 

Causes. — The most common cause of this trouble is hard and 
fast work, especially on rough ground or on hard roads. Im- 
proper shoeing, blows, kicks, etc., all arc causes of ring-bone. 



160 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 



It is a hereditary disease, and will be transmitted to the colts 
from the sire or dam if they are affected. 

Symptoms. — Occasionally a well developed ring-hone will 
come on a horse without making him lame, but it generally 
makes him lame from the start and all the time during its 
growth. In the early stages a ring-bone is sometimes very diffi- 
cult to detect, but after they are well formed they are very easily 
seen. 

Treatment. — The treatment is similar to that of spavin. Give 
the animal complete rest for one or two months, and repeatedly 
blister with our Spavin Cnre. If after you have blistered thor- 
oughly for three or four times and the animal is still lame, the 
only remedy is the operation of firing (see Fig. 26), which should 
not be undertaken except by a qualified veterinary surgeon. Oc- 
casionally after an animal has been repeatedly blistered or fired 
he still remains lame; but on putting him to work the lameness 
gradually disappears. 








Fig. 23. A Ring-bone. 



Fig. 24. Side-bones. 



Dr. LeG-ear's Stock Book. 161 



SIDE -BONES. 



A side-bone is a bony tumor situated on one or both sides of a 
horse's foot just above the hoof. It is due to ossification (turn- 
ing to bone) of the lateral cartileges. The lateral cartileges are 
pads of cartilege (gristle) one on each side of the foot partially 
inside the hoof, which are so situated that in their natural state 
they form a spring to the heel while the horse is traveling. In 
the healthy foot these cartileges are pliable and will spring on 
being pressed with the fingers. But when, from some cause, they 
are turned to bone, they are then called side-bones and are 
enlarged, hardened, and unpliable. 

(Uiuses. — Side-bones are caused by hard and fast work upon 
hard roads. A horse traveling rapidly upon a hard road strikes 
the road very hard with his feet, which is apt to bruise the foot, 
set up inflammation in the lateral cartileges which is very likely 
to turn them to bone. Side-bones are also caused by punctures, 
bruises, and injuries, as by one horse stepping on the side of his 
mate's foot, injuring the lateral cartilege and resulting in side- 
bone. 

Symptoms. — Side-bones very seldom come in the hind feet, 
but are nearly always seen in the front feet. They are more com- 
mon in heavy draft horses, but are not nearly so serious as when 
affecting light horses used for driving or riding. In some cases 
the cartilege turns to bone and remains the natural size, while 
in others it becomes very much enlarged, making an ugly appear- 
ance on the side of the foot. While traveling, the toe of the 
foot is first brought to the ground, and there is — in case both 
front feci are affected — a peculiar stilly action and stiffness of 
ffa i t . 



162 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 



Treatment. — If there is much fever and soreness in the foot, 
remove it by frequent bathing and poulticing. Give the ani- 
mal a good long rest. After the inflammation has been relieved, 
blister the enlargement well with Dr. LeGear's Celebrated Spavin 
Cure. (See Appendix.) In most cases this will effect a cure. 
There are some cases that baffle all treatment, and the only relief 
is to perform the operation of neurotomy. This is an operation 
which should be undertaken only by a qualified veterinary sur- 
geon. 

SPAVIN. 



There are two kinds of spavin recognized by the veterinary 
profession — bone spavin and bog spavin. We will first consider 
bone spavin, and later on consider bog spavin. 

Bone spavin is a bony growth 
affecting the hock (gamble) joint. 
The general location of the en- 
largement is on the front of the 
inside of the joint, but the disease 
may affect the whole joint. , It is 
called high spavin when the en- 
largement comes on the upper 
part of the joint; and low spavin 
when it comes on the lower part 
of the joint. High spavin is by 
far the worst disease and much 
harder to cure. Spavin never 
comes on the front legs, and only 
on the hock joints of the hind 
legs. A horse may be spavined and not show a lump at all on 
the joint. Such a spavin is called an ocult spavin (not visible), 
and is a very bad disease, as it affects the true articulations of 
of the joint. 




Fig-. 25. Bone Spavin. 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 163 

Causes. — There are various causes of spavin, the most common 
of which are hard and fast work, straining by slipping in the 
mud, injuries to the joint, etc. In the case of an injury to one 
of the hind legs, causing the animal to stand upon the sound 
leg, the latter becomes liable to spavin in consequence of the 
extra weight thrown upon it. Spavin is one of the hereditary 
diseases, and it is a mistake to breed a mare or breed from a 
stallion affected with the disease, as the colt invariably will be 
born with weak joints and predisposed to spavin, and will in 
most cases take the disease after being put to work. 

Symptoms. — Spavin is a disease that nearly always comes on 
very slowly, and when once started it will continue to grow worse 
unless checked by treatment. The first sign of spavin is slight 
stiffness or lameness in the affected leg, which will disappear on 
exercise, but will show again after standing for a few minutes. 
In some cases the horse will be lame all day, or in fact get worse 
the farther he goes, but in most cases they will warm out of the 
lameness after being driven a short distance. On causing the 
animal to move over in his stall, to move about from side to side, 
etc., it is noticed that he drops on the affected limb; but on be- 
ing made to walk or trot it is noticed that he drops on the sound 
leg. Sometimes the enlargement is seen first, but generally the 
animal is lame one, two, or three months, or even longer, before 
the lump can be plainly seen. The lump keeps on growing as 
long as there is fever, soreness, and lameness present, and some- 
times becomes larger than a man's fist. In long standing cases 
the hi}> will be perished, making it look as though the disease 
was in the hip. 

If you have a horse lame in one of his hind legs and you can 
notice nothing wrong in any other part of the leg, it is well to 
look for spavin, as the hock joint is more liable to disease than 
any oilier part of the hind leg. In most cases the horse will 



164 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 



knuckle at the ankle in starting oft', which may lead von to think 
the trouble is in the ankle and not in the hock. 

Treatment. — There is no medicine better than Dr. LeGear's 
Spavin Cure in the treatment of spavin. If it used soon 
enough, before the disease gets too old. and used according 
to directions, it will cure every time. Best is very necessary in 
treating spavin. The animal should be kept quiet and not worked 
for four or six weeks, as every step the animal takes works the 
joint, irritates the disease, and prevents the medicine making a 
cure. "What we mean by a cure in spavin is to stop the lameness 
and put the animal in a condition so he can do his usual work. 
After the lump has been on the horse for several months there is 
no medicine that will remove it. In old chronic cases there is no 
medicine that will cure them, and the treatment we would rec- 
ommend is the operation of firing. (See Fig. 26.) This is an 
operation which requires practice and skill to perform, and 
when properly done is the most successful treatment in old 
chronic cases of spavin. After this operation it is very necessary 
that a good penetrating blister be applied, and there is none bet- 
ter than Dr. LeGear's Spavin Cure. 




Fig. 27. Firing Iron, for feather-firing. 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 165 



BIG-HEAD. 

This disease is properly termed "Osteo-porosis," as it is a 
porous condition of the bones. It is commonly known as big- 
head, as the disease is more noticeable about the head by the 
bones of the face and lower jaw becoming enlarged. The bones 
become enlarged, but are lighter, more porous, and more easily 
broken than in health. Not only the bones of the head are 
affected, but every bone in the body becomes more or less 
changed. It is a disease of young horses, as it is never seen in 
an old horse. Big-head is rather rare in Texas, but we have seen 
a few cases in our practice during the last three years. We are 
often called upon to examine and prescribe for horses said to 
have the big-head, when it is nothing but an enlargement on the 
face caused by a bad jaw tooth. 

Causes. — The causes of big-head are rather obscure. Some 
authors claim it is due to a deficiency of lime, while others claim 
it is due to eating certain grasses and foods, and drinking certain 
kinds of water. 

Symptoms. — Perhaps the first sjmiptom noticed is the enlarg- 
ing of the face. One or both sides may enlarge, and usually both 
sides of the face and each side of the lower iaw bulge out. The 
animal may appear somewhat stiff and dull in its movements. 
In many cases when the animal lays down it is difficult for it to 
get up. Also as the bones are so very porous and brittle, fracture 
may take place very easily. 

Treatment. — Treatment is almost useless. A complete change 
of food, water, and climate is about all that can be done. 
A change of climate has been known to cure big-head, but as a 
general thing, when a horse becomes affected with the disease it 
is a hopeless case. 



168 Dk. Le(tEak's Stock Book. 

CHAPTER XIII. 

WOUNDS. 

Wounds may occur in any part of the body, and are classified 
.-as incised, punctured, lacerated, contused, gun-shot, and poisoned. 

Incised Wounds, or cuts, are made with some sharp body. The 
-edges of the wound are smooth, as though cut with a knife. 
These wounds are the simplest we are called upon to treat. J'f 
£hey occur in fleshy parts, where no important structures are 
injured, they soon recover, and often without very much treat- 
ment. 

Punctured Wounds are made by either sharp or blunt pointed 
-substances, as sticks, thorns, nails, etc. The depth of these 
wounds is always greater than their width. In veterinary prac- 
tice, punctured wounds are very common, and more dangerous 
than the other kinds, and require special care and treatment. 

Lacerated Wounds are those in which the soft tissues (skin, 
muscles, etc.) are more or less torn. Lacerated wounds are 
"usually caused by coming into contact with some blunt object, 
as where a horse runs against fences, the corners of buildings, 
through barb wire fences, or by a kick from another animal. 
The edges of such wounds are ragged and uneven. As a rule 
these wounds are not attended with any serious results when 
•early given proper attention. 

Contused Wounds are commonly called bruises, and are those 
wounds in which the skin is not injured to any great extent, and 
in some cases is not even broken: but the deeper structures are 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 167 

more or less affected. A good example of contused wound is 
"speedy cut" (interfering). A black eye, quite common among 
certain classes of men, is a good example of a contused wound. 

Gun-Shot Wounds are seldom seen except in times of war, 
when they are quite common. Such wounds should be thor- 
oughly probed to be sure that the bullet is not lodged somewhere- 
in the body. If the ball should strike a bone it is usually shat- 
tered and splintered to such an extent as to warrant us in hav- 
ing the animal destroyed. 

Poisoned Wounds most frequently result from the bite of some- 
venomous reptile, as the rattlesnake, copperhead, viper, etc., in 
America, and the cobra, etc., in India. This kind of wound may 
also be caused by the careless and improper use of certain poi- 
sonous medicines, as arsenic, etc., getting into a sore or cut and 
poisoning it. 

Treatment. — The treatment of wounds varies considerably, and 
is governed by the nature, variety, situation, and extent of the 
wound under consideration. When bleeding to any considerable 
extent follows a wound of any kind, we must first of all stop the 
flow of blood before attempting to close the wound itself or ap- 
ply any other treatment. This object is effected in different 
ways, according to whether the bleeding is from an artery or a 
vein. If from an artery, the blood will be bright red or scarlet 
in color, and flows in spurts, spouting out with every beat of the 
heart. If from a vein, the blood is darker in color and flows in 
a regular stream. Bleeding from large vessels may be stopped 
by either compress bandages, torsion, hot iron, or ligatures. 

By Bandages. — If the blood is from an artery, the pressure 
should be applied between the wound and the center of circula- 
tion, that is, towards the body; if from a vein, toward the ex- 
tremities. 



168 Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 



Fig 28. Artery Forceps. 

Torsion (twisting). — This is done by grasping the divided ves- 
sel with the artery forceps (Fig. 28) and twisting it the proper 
number of times, or until the bleeding ceases. 

The hot iron may also be used to sear the end of a blood vessel, 
and thus stop the bleeding. 

The ligature is, however, the best means to stop the flow of 
blood from a large vessel. The cut end of the bleeding vessel is 
to be caught up with a pair of artery forceps and firmly tied 
about one-half inch from its division. 

In case of profuse bleeding from the incision of a great num- 
ber of small vessels, it is best stopped by compresses of cotton, 
tow, cobwebs, etc., moistened with the tincture of the chloride of 
iron, ice water, etc. Our Healing Lotion is a good application 
for such purposes. 

After bleeding has ceased we should endeavor to remove all 
foreign bodies, if any be present. Very often splinters of wood 
or other foreign substances are thus lodged, and unless removed 
prevent the wound from healing. All deep wounds should be 
thoroughly examined or probed to the very bottom to see if any 
foreign body be present. After a thorough exploration, and all 
foreign substances have been removed, the wound should be care- 
fully and thoroughly cleansed with cold or warm water, accord- 
ing to the season of the year, after which bathe the parts nicely 
with Dr. LeGear's Healing Lotion. Now, if the character of the 



De. LeGear's Stock Book. 



169 



wound admits of it 5 the edges are to be brought together and 
secured, which is usually done by means of sutures (stitches); 
the interrupted suture being the best. 




Fig. 29. Surgery Needles — full curve. 




Fig. 30. Surgery Needles — half curve. 



Sutures may consist of wire, either of tin, silver, or some soft 
metal coated with silver, and are known as metallic sutures. 
There are also sutures of silk, catgut, etc., which may or may not 
be carbolized. For ordinary wounds silk thread will do as well 
as anv of the other kinds. A medium sized suture needle will 



170 De. LeGeae's Stock Book. 

be found the most convenient and best to use. ^Figs. 29 and 30.) 
Sutures are further described as twisted, quilled, interrupted, 
etc. 

The hoisted suture is the one usually employed to close the 
wound made by the fleam in bleeding from the jugular vein — 
the large vein in the neck. The edges of the wound are to be 
brought together and secured in place by means of a pin, which 
in turn is to be held in position by hair or silk, which is wound 
around the pin after the manner of a figure eight (8). 

The quilled suture consists of two pieces of whalebone, wood, 
or some other material, one on each side of the wound, and con- 
nected by a silk thread, wire, etc. This form of suture is very 
useful in large wounds where the lips have a tendency to gape, 
and considerable force is required to prevent the wound opening, 
the ordinary suture in such cases being liable to tear out. 

The interrupted suture is formed by passing the silk or wire 
through the edges of the wound, drawing them together and 
tying the ends of the suture. By this method each stitch is sep- 
arate from and independent of all the others; so that if one or 
more stitches break, sufficient may still be left to hold the edges 
of the wound in position. This is the best of all forms of 
sutures. 

In sewing up a wound, you should have the animal well se- 
cured, to prevent any injury to himself. Take a good firm hold 
of the lips of the wound with the fingers, as the animal will offer 
less resistance than if the parts are handled in a gingerly manner. 
Be sure to bring the edges of the wound into perfect apposition, 
and you should have your mind made up as to where the first 
stitch should be made. If the wound is not properly stitched and 
the parts brought into perfect apposition, an ugiy pounch or 
gap. may be left to constitute an eye-sore and ever after be a 
source of aggravation. Always leave a sufficient opening at the 
lowest part of a wound to allow of proper drainage, the free 



De. LeGear's Stock Book. 171 

escape of puss, etc. Other ways of securing wounds are by straps, 
bandages, etc. 

Strapping is done by causing a number of pieces of domestic, or 
other material, of proper size, shape, etc., to adhere to the parts 
by means of an application of pitch, or some similar adhesive. 
Where it is feared that sutures may give way, strapping is fre- 
quently of great assistance in affording support to sutures, espe- 
cially in large wounds. 

Bandaging consists of binding or securing a part by means of 
a roll or sheet of some material, usuallv cloth or rubber. Certain 
kinds of incised wounds are readily secured and the edges kept 
in place by a properly adjusted bandage; and a bandage, as a 
rule, leaves less blemish than the sutures. Bandages also serve 
a useful purpose in keeping out dirt, flies, etc., and in many cases 
afford a useful support to sutures. 

Dressing of Wounds. — Most unprofessional people have an 
idea that there is a specific for each variety of wound. Such is 
not the case. Still, there is a great difference of opinion among 
surgeons as to the best way of dressing wounds. Some believe 
that the air should he entirely excluded in the treatment of 
wounds; others do not believe in this theory, consequently do not 
make any attempt to exclude the air and scarcely dress wounds 
at all, merely having the wound kept clean. In veterinary prac- 
tice wounds do very well in many cases when exposed, but of 
course may receive some poisonous germs through the medium 
of the air; but the probabilities are that in a large majority of 
cases the air not only does no harm, but. on the contrary, often 
exerts a beneficial influence. Wounds in a healthy animal heal 
faster than in an unhealthy animal. So don't expect to heal up 
wounds in animals with unhealthy constitutions as fast as you 
would if the system is healthy. After the wound has been thor- 
oughly cleansed with warm water and stitched up. the treatment 
12 



172 De. LeG-eae'S Stock Book. 

must be governed altogether by circumstances. If inflammation 

be present, a free use of hot or cold applications to the. parts will 
be beneficial: where there is not much pain cold water will 
be found very good. Inflammation may often be prevented, and, 
when present, may be reduced by a dose of physic and giving the 
patient a laxative diet. As a cooling application, and at the same 
time exerting great healing powers, there is nothing better than 
our Celebrated Healing Lotion. (See Appendix.) This wonder- 
ful antiseptic and astringent preparation should lie applied ac- 
cording to the directions on each bottle. In all external sores 
and wounds, and where flies are liable to bother a sore, there is 
nothing equal to our Screw Worm Powder. It has wonderful 
antiseptic, healing powers, and is a sure prevention against the 
much dreaded "screw worm. 7 * 

ABSCESSES AND TUMOES. 

These enlargements are quite often seen in connection with 
horses' shoulders, as the result of some injury. Badly fitting col- 
lars sometimes cause them, and they are often caused by sudden 
jars from the plow striking a stone or the wagon hitting a stump. 
They may also be caused by a kick, or by an animal running 
against some hard object. 

Symptoms. — The swelling will be seen, which is generally 
hard, and may be hot ami tender. Sometimes fluid can be de- 
tected in an abscess, but generally they have to be lanced before 
it is certain that fluid or puss is present. At first the fluid is thin 
and watery, called serum, but later on it turns to white pus. A 
tumor lias no matter or fluid in it. but consists of a solid mass 
of callous tissue. 

Treatment. — If a serous abscess, it should be opened up freely 
with a clean sharp knife or lance, to let the matter out. Make 



Dr. LeGeae's Stock Book. 173 

a good big opening, as success will depend upon keeping the hole 
open until the cavity heals inside. Syringe out the cavity well 
with water 1 pint and carbolic acid 1 dram. Sometimes the 
secreting cells in the sack will have to be destroyed by using a 
caustic. This can be done by packing the cavity full of cotton 
soaked in a very strong solution of bluestone. Let it remain in 
twelve hours, then remove and dress the sore with our Healing 
Lotion. If it is a tumor, cut it out, and then heal up the wound 
as an ordinary sore. 

BURNS AND SCALDS. 

These may be slight or may be so severe as to cause death 
from pain and exhaustion. In the former case, where only a red- 
dened condition of the skin is produced, the pain and irritation 
soon subside. Some burns are more serious, depending on 
the character of the burn inflicted. Some burns cause only slight 
blisters to form, while others destroy the skin and cause it to 
undergo complete destruction. The worst form of burn is that 
in which the skin, and the tissue beneath the skin, is destroyed. 
This form of burn, when extensive, usually causes death. 

Treatment. — As soon as possible after a burn is produced the 
air should be excluded. One of the best preparations is the fol- 
lowing: 

Raw linseed oil ) 

T . , j- Lqual parts. 

Lime water j ^ r 

Mix, and apply freely to all the burned or scalded sur- 
face. 

A good remedy to use at once to draw out the pain is to cover 
all the burned surface with a thick layer of baking soda. An 
ointment as follows is good: 



174 Dk. LeGteak's Stock Book. 

Oxide of zinc 4 drams. 

Vaseline 3 ounces. 

Mix, and apply freely to all affected parts. 

SNAKE BITES. 

This is a very common and serious trouble to stock owners in 
various parts of the country. Rattlesnakes, copperheads, etc., 
are very poisonous, and sometimes cause death to horses and cat- 
tle by biting them. The parts bitten generally swell up exten- 
sively, and after a time sloughing of the skin and flesh takes 
place, leaving a very ugly looking sore. 

Treatment. — If bitten on the leg, and the animal is seen im- 
mediately afterwards, a string or rope should be wound tightly 
around the leg above the bite, so as to keep the poison from 
being absorbed into the system until some of it can be destroyed 
by applying hot irons, caustic, or bleeding freely at the point of 
injury. Large doses of alcohol, whisky, or brandy should be 
given often to counteract the effects of the poison. After the 
swelling forms it should be bathed well with warm water two or 
three times a day and our Liniment (see Appendix) well rubbed 
in. If sloughing takes place, it should be treated according to 
treatment for wounds. 

PHLEBITIS. 

Inflammation of a vein is called phlebitis. It was at one time 
quite common in the horse, the juglar vein (the large vein of the 
neck) being the one most commonly affected, as it is the vein 
usually selected for blood-letting. At one time the poor horse 
used to be bled for nearly every disease horseflesh is heir to. 
The age of bleeding horses is a thing of the past, except among 



De. LeGear's Stock Book. 175 

some of the old-time "horse doctors/' who still cling to their 
old-time customs. 

Causes. — Blood-letting from the large vein in the neck is prob- 
ably the most common cause of the trouble and is the most dan- 
gerous kind. Other causes are injuries, abscesses, tumors, etc. 

Symptoms. — In most cases the vein is swollen, thickened, and 
hardened considerably. The swelling, with great tenderness, 
may extend along the affected vessel, and the animal show gen- 
eral disturbance and fever. 

Treatment. — Tie the horse's head up high and bathe the swell- 
ing with warm water for one or two hours at a time. After 
bathing with warm water, dry off the parts and rub them well 
with our Liniment (see Appendix). Give one pint of raw lin- 
seed oil as a drench, and give one teaspoonful of saltpetre in the 
drinking water twice a day. Use the animal carefully, and givo 
a laxative diet. The large vein usually becomes destroyed, after 
which a horse is considered unsound. 

OPEN JOINT. 

What is meant by open joint is where a joint in the body is 
laid open by an injury and the joint-water (synovia) is allowed 
to leak out. It is one of the most serious injuries to which the 
horse is liable. Every joint is surrounded by a thin membrane, 
called the synovial membrane, which has the power of secreting 
or making the joint-water. When the joint is not in motion, very 
little, if any, is secreted, but while the joint is working there is 
sufficient oil (joint-water) secreted to keep the joint oiled so it 
will work easily. The joints are like all machinery — they need 
plenty of oil to keep them in good working order. It is a mis- 
taken idea, if a joint is opened and the joint-water runs out, 



176 Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 

that it will not be formed again. Stiff-joint is caused by the 
inflammation forming a bony deposit about the joint, which 
forms anchylosis (stiff joint). The joints most liable to this in- 
jury are the stifle, ankle, hock, and knee. There are little bur- 
sae (membranes) that secrete synovia to lubricate the tendons 
(leaders) where they ply over joints and prominent places. Some- 
times these are opened and by the synovia (oil) running out of a 
wound might lead a person to suspect open joint. This is not 
open joint nor nowhere near as bad an injury. 

Causes. — The causes of this trouble are generally some kind of 
an injury, as kicks, blows of any kind, falls, punctures, etc. It 
is often caused by unprofessional parties trying to perform some 
surgical operation in the region of a joint — by cutting into the 
joint and allowing the synovia to escape. Any person not thor- 
oughly familiar with the anatomy of the joints should never cut 
into one under any consideration. The worst form of open joint 
is where it is caused by a kick, or by an animal falling on his 
knees and cutting them wide open. This form of injury not only 
opens the joint, but bruises and lacerates the tissues, causing very 
severe inflammation and extensive sloughing of the parts. 

Symptoms. — In a case caused by a sharp instrument, as a knife, 
pitchfork, etc., penetrating the joint there may not be any severe 
symptoms for one or two days. The synovia (joint oil) runs out, 
air gets into the joint, irritation and severe inflammation follow, 
accompanied by great swelling, and the suffering of the animal 
becomes most agonizing, and, unless speedily checked, death is 
certain. Joint oil is a clear fluid, of a watery, oily nature, and 
will coagulate (thicken) on the edges of the wound on becoming 
exposed to the air. At first the discharge is clear joint-water, 
but later on it becomes mixed with pus, and in some cases 
streaked with blood. When pus and blood escape in any great 
quantity, there is very liable to be stiff -joint. The animal has a 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 177 

very high fever and may not eat at all on account of the excru- 
ciating pain he has to suffer. We have known several cases to 
die within one week, from the severe pain of open joint. 

Treatment. — In the treatment of open joint our great aim 
should he to check the flow of joint-water as soon as possible. 
It is a very serious disease, and the treatment is very difficult and 
not very successful. Keep the animal as quiet as possible, as the 
working of the joint irritates the disease and prevents recovery. 
A stream of cold water should be let run on to the parts for hours 
at a time. This may be done where the waterworks are conve- 
nient by fastening the hose to the ceiling over the horse and let 
the end come down and fasten it to the affected part by bandages. 
Then turn on a small stream of water and let it run for hours 
at a time. This is to take out the fever and swelling. Wash the 
sore as little as possible to keep it clean. Apply some astringent 
healing wash as our Healing Lotion once or twice a day. A poul- 
tice of equal parts of wheat flour and oatmeal, to be applied warm 
two or three times a clay, is an excellent remedy, as it has a ten- 
dency to coagulate the joint-oil and close up the wound; or 
equal parts of tannic acid, dried alum, and gum arabic, well ap- 
plied to the parts, and held in place by pledgets of tow or cotton, 
will be found an excellent application to arrest the flow of sy- 
novia. With close attention and proper treatment a few cases 
will recover, but the majority of cases terminate in stiff-joint or 
death. If the joint is enlarged after the wound heals, blister it 
well with our Spavin Cure, which will remove a great deal of 
the enlargement and perhaps limber up the joint. 

CUKB. 

A curb is a small enlargement on the back part of the hind leg, 
about five inches below the point of the hock. It is caused from 
a strain of the calcanco-euboid ligament, which is a strong liga- 



178 



Dr. LeG-ear's Stock Book. 



ment passing from the point of the hock down to a short distance 
below the location of the cnrb. (See Fig. 31.) 



Causes. — It may be caused from slipping and straining the 
leg while drawing heavy loads in the mud or up hill. In. some 
cases it is hereditary, as certain breeds of horses have curby 
hocks (bowed behind), and 
are liable to throw out a 
curb on being driven fast 
or worked to a heavy load. 

Symptoms. — -After a hard 
day's work pulling a heavy 
load, the animal may be 
noticed lame, and on exam- 
ining the leg you will no- 
tice a firm, hot swelling on 
the back part of the hind 
leg about five inches below 
the hock. On pressing it 
the animal shows pain. 
After the soreness and in- 
flammation passes away it forms into a hard knot, and unless 
properly treated will always remain there. 




Fig. 31. Curb. 



Treatment. — Lay the horse off work, and don't use Mm at all 
for at least one week. In the early stages when fever and sore- 
ness are present, bathe it with cold water and afterwards rub it 
well with Dr. LeGear's Liniment (see Appendix). A great deal 
will depend on rubbing it well. Rub the Liniment in thoroughly 
twice a day with a corn-cob or a smooth piece of bone. If you 
fail to remove the lameness and the lump by this treatment, kept 
up for one week, then there is nothing better to cure it than our 



Dr. LeGtear's Stock Book. 179 

Spavin Cure (see Appendix), which, if properly used, will remove 
the lameness and take off the enlargement. 

WIND PUFFS. 

Wind puffs are soft, puffy tumors at the back of the fetlock 
(ankle) joint. They were formerly supposed to contain air, but 
are now known to contain the same kind of fluid as bog spavin 
and thorough-pin. They seldom ever cause lameness. They are 
seen more frequently on horses with straight pasterns and those 
that are driven fast on hard rocky roads. 

Causes. — Wind puffs are generally brought on by hard and 
fast work on hard roads, drawing heavy loads, jumping, or any 
work that is liable to strain or weaken the legs. In most cases 
they are just soft, flabby, cold swellings, which appear to do the 
animal no harm at all, but occasionally they are hot and firm 
and cause lameness. 

Treatment. — Old chronic cases of wind puffs are generally very 
hard to cure. Any fever or soreness in connection with them 
should be removed by using Dr. LeGear's Liniment and bandag- 
ing with cold, wet bandages. Thorough hand-rubbing two or 
three times a day may do good. All else failing, there is nothing 
equal to our Spavin Cure (see Appendix) well rubbed in and 
repeated when necessary. 

THOKOUGH-PIN. 

Thorough-pin is a soft, puffy swelling in the hollow on each 
side just in front of the point of the hock. It is very often seen 
in connection with bog spavin, and when seen alone seldom 
causes lameness. It is the same kind of an enlargement as bog- 
spavin, only is in a different place on the joint. 



180 



De. LeGeae's Stock Book. 



Treatment. — A thorough-pin truss (Fig. 32) is very beneficial 
in some cases, but there is no treatment better than Dr. LeGear's 
Spavin Cure when used according to directions. 





Pig. 32. Thoroughpin Truss. 



Fig. 33. Bog-Spavin and Thorough- 
pin Truss. 



BOG SPAVIN. 



A bog spavin is a soft, puffy swelling on the inside of the front 
of the hock joint, in about the same location as high bone spavin. 
It is an accumulation of synovia (joint-water) in a distension of 
the capsular ligament. Large heavy draft horses are very liable 
to bog spavin, and it very seldom injures such horses. But in 
light horses, or those used for fast work, the presence of bog 
spavin or any unnatural fullness in the region of the hock should 
always be viewed with great suspicion. Where bog spavin is 
present thorough-pin is nearly always found. 

Causes. — Bog spavin is usually caused by hard and fast work, 
irregular or too little exercise, high feeding, etc. It is sometimes 
produced very easily, especially in young horses. 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 181 

Symptoms. — Bog spavin can generally be detected quite easily, 
as the swelling can be easily seen. In large horses the swelling 
is generally flabby and cool, and does no harm. In light driving 
horses it is very liable to cause lameness, and if much fevered 's 
very liable to turn to a fibrous or bony lump. 

Treatment. — Give rest and blister thoroughly with our Spavin 
Cure. In heavy horses and those that are not lame, it is best to 
let the spavin alone, as it will seldom do harm. Hand-rubbing 
is very useful, and what is still better is a bog spavin truss (Fig. 
33), which gives pressure. Careful firing is sometimes very bene- 
ficial, but there is no remedy better than Dr. LeGear's Spavin 
Cure. (See Appendix.) 

CAPPED HOCK. 

Capped hock is an enlargement on the point of the hock. 
It is generally quite small, but may become very large. (See 
Fig. 34.) 

Causes. — Capped hock is generally caused by blows, kicks, etc., 
or by the horse lying with the points of the hocks on the hard 
ground. It is sometimes due to a dropsical condition of the legs. 
If a horse has capped hock it is well to suspect him as a kicker. 

Treatment. — The best treatment in the early stages of the dis- 
ease, when it is due to an injury, is to bathe it thoroughly two 
or three times a day with Dr. LeGear's Liniment. (See Appen- 
dix.) If it does not go away in the course of a week, apply some 
of our Spavin Cure (see Appendix), and repeat in two weeks if 
necessary. Always remove the cause. If the horse is a kicker, 
try and keep everything away from his hocks. If he lays on 
them, put a large pad on his hocks and give him a good soft bee! 
to lie on. 



182 



Dr. LeGtear's Stock Book. 





Fig. 34. Capped Hock. 



Fig. 35. Capped Elbow. 



CAPPED ELBOW, OE SHOE BOIL. 

This is commonly called Shoe Boil, and consists of an enlarge- 
ment at the point of the elbow, due to an injury. Capped elbow 
is a very common condition, and varies considerably in character, 
size, etc. (See Fig. 35.) 

Causes. — The most common cause of this condition is the 
elbow coming into contact with the shoe when the animal is ly- 
ing down. It may also be caused by the elbow coming in con- 
tact with the hoof, the ground, or the belly band, etc. 



Symptoms. — At first there is only a slight irritation of the 
part, producing more or less enlargement. In some cases there 
is considerable inflammation, which terminates in a collection 
of fluid. In aggravated cases this fluid solidifies and forms a 
hard tumor on the point of the elbow, and in some cases an ab- 
scess mav form. 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 183 

Treatment.— li taken when the swelling first comes on, bathe 
it well with hot water three times a day and apply our Liniment 
after each time of bathing. Remove the shoe and keep the press- 
ure off the parts, and the swelling will soon disappear. It may 
be well to not let the horse lay down for several nights dur- 
ing treatment. Sometimes a quantity of fluid forms in the swell- 
ing, which will have to be let out by lancing the place. After 
lancing, syringe out the cavity every day with a weak solution 
of carbolic acid until healed. The swelling sometimes will de- 
velop into a fibrous tumor, and may get to be very large. In such 
cases the only treatment is to dissect the tumor out, and let the 
place heal up as an ordinary sore. Before the tumor gets too 
large it may be removed by blistering well with our Spavin Cure. 
A seaton put through the tumor may drain it out. A circular 
padded leather boot can be buckled around the horse's foot just 
below the ankle to keep the shoe pressing on the elbow while 
the animal is lying down. This boot will prevent the tumor 
from forming again. 

KNUCKLING, OR COCKED ANKLES. 

Knuckling is an unnatural position of the fetlock joint, 
which is more or less bent, causing a prominent enlargement on 
the front part of the joint. While knuckling is not always an 
unsoundness, it nevertheless predisposes to stumbling and to 
fracture of the pastern. 

Causes. — It is a condition often seen in young foals, due, no 
doubt, to a bent condition of the limbs before birth, and as a 
general thing soon disappears. Horses with straight pasterns 
are very apt to knuckle as they grow old, especially in the hind 
legs. All kinds of heavy work, especially in hilly districts, se- 
vere pulling, and fast work on race tracks are exciting causes of 
knuckling. 11 may occur as a result of irregular exercise, sprain 



184 Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 

of the ligaments, disease of the suspensory ligament, or of the 
flexor tendons, whereby they are shortened. Allowing the feet 
to grow out of shape, poor shoeing, etc., no doubt have a great 
deal to do with it. 

Treatment. — In young foals, treatment is not necessary, as all 
that need be done is to keep the feet in proper shape and the legs 
will straighten up in a few weeks' time. In adult animals it may 
be relieved by shoeing when due to contracted tendons. Shorten 
the toe of the foot as much as possible, leaving the heels high; 
or thin the shoe at the toe with thick heels or high calks. On 
the hind feet put long-heeled shoes with calks. An operation in 
some cases is indicated, that of dividing (or cutting) the back 
tendons, between the fetlock and knee, for the purpose of secur- 
ing relief. Firing and blistering in some instances may effect a 
cure. 

KNEE-SPKUNG. 

This is a bending forward of the knees, in consequence of 
contraction of the back tendons. (See Fig. 36.) 

Causes. — The causes which may be mentioned are hard and 
fast work, irregular exercise, as keeping the animal up and feed- 
ing well for several days, then taking out and driving freely. 
It is often the result of a hores standing in a stall with a floor 
sloping from before backwards, especially so when there is a weak 
conformation of the parts. Overgrowth of hoof, poor shoeing, 
etc., must be included among the causes. 

Treatment. — If it is due to standing on a sloping floor, place 
the animal on a level surface, or in a stall lower in front than 
behind. It is considered incurable in old horses, and is liable to 



Dr. LeG-eae's Stock Book. 



185 



return even in young animals. Special atten- 
should be paid to the shoeing. Be sure that ^ 
the feet are balanced from side to side. If he 
drops on his toe while traveling and wears 
his shoe at the toe most, the toe is too high 
or too long, and it must be lowered. If the 
toe can not be lowered sufficiently, attach heel 
corks to the shoe. If he lands on the heels 
first while at speed, and wears his shoe at the 
heels most, his heels are too high, and must 
be lowered to overcome the trouble. A stim- 
ulating liniment, as Dr. LeGrear^s (see Appen- 
dix), or even a good blister, as Dr. LeGear's 
Spavin Cure, or the firing iron, may be found 
very beneficial in cases of knee sprung. This 
is to be applied to the back tendons as direct- 
ed for use on other parts. Great benefit will 
also be found by giving the animal a run at 
pasture for two or three months. 




Fig. 36. 
Knee-Sprung. 



Calf-Knees. — This is exactly an opposite condition to that 
of sprung knees. Such a limb is very weak, and liable to sprains, 
etc. 

Treatment. — We know of nothing that can be done for it. 

SPRAIN OF THE FETLOCK. 

This is most common in the forelegs, and usually affects one 
at a time. Horses doing fast work and those that interfere are 
particularly liable to this injury. 



Causes. — It is generally produced by a misstep, stumbling, 
slipping, etc., or where the foot is caught in a rut, hole in a 
bridge, or in a car track. 



186 Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 

Symptoms. — There is more or less lameness, accompanied by 
heat, pain, and considerable swelling. While at rest the affected 
leg is flexed at the joint affected, but this is not to be considered 
an infallible sign, as the animal may have picked up a nail, in 
which case he will also knuckle at the fetlock. 

Treatment. — If the injury is slight, cold water bandages and 
a few days' rest is all that is necessary. In severe cases the leg 
should be placed under a stream of cold water for hours at a 
time, and after drying, apply some good, stimulating liniment 
and put on a cold water bandage. There is no better than our 
Liniment for such purposes. Keep up the applications of water, 
liniment, and cold water bandages for several days, or until the 
fever and swelling are reduced. When the inflammation has sub- 
sided a good blister, such as our Spavin Cure, should be applied, 
well rubbed into the part. 

SPEAIN OF THE SUSPENSOKY LIGAMENT. 

The suspensory ligament is a strong baud of fibrous tissue ex- 
tending from the knee down the leg between the bone and the 
back tendons (leaders), and divides just above the ankle joint; 
the divided portions passing over the ankle joint and becoming 
attached just below. This ligament is the stay to the ankle, as 
when it becomes ruptured (torn in two) the ankle joint will come 
clear to the ground, constituting what is known as break-down. 
The suspensory ligament is liable to sprain from various causes, 
as from stepping on a stone, slipping, jumping, etc. 

Symptoms. — The animal will be more or less lame, and will 
especially show it when turning around short. It is invariably 
seen in the front leg. There is seldom any swelling takes place, 
which makes it such a hard lameness to locate by inexperienced 
parties. If you squeeze the ligament with the thumb and finger 
the animal will show considerable pain. 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 187 

Treatment. — This lameness needs complete rest, as by work- 
ing the animal before the sprain is cured the ligament is liable 
to rupture, and break down. If in summer apply a bandage wet 
in cold water two or three times a day. Let the bandage envelop 
the leg from the knee to the foot. Also rub the parts well two 
or three times a day with our Liniment. Keep the animal quiet 
for perhaps one or two months. When the fever is pretty well 
gone from the parts, apply our Spavin Cure and give the animal 
a run at grass. 

BKEAK-DOWN. 

Break-down is rupture of the suspensory ligament. It gen- 
erally ruptures just above the ankle joint. It may be caused by 
an animal being worked or ridden while suffering from sprain 
of the suspensory ligament. By the ligament being sprained it 
is naturally weakened and very liable to tear or rupture if too 
much weight is put upon it. It is seen more frequently in race 
horses. 

Symptoms. — The animal goes suddenly lame, and the fetlock 
(ankle joint) comes clear down to the ground, or nearly so. If 
only one portion of the ligament is broken the ankle will come 
only part way down, but will lean to one side. If partial break- 
down is suspected, don't put the animal to work again for sev- 
eral months, or until the parts are entirely well and strong again. 

Treatment. — In break-down there may be a great deal of fever 
and swelling take place, which must be removed by bathing with 
warm water and a good stimulating liniment, none being better 
than our Liniment. Keep the animal perfectly quiet and apply 
a bandage snugly to the ankle, which will serve as a support. 
After the i'vwv is reduced apply a good stimulating blister, as 
13 



188 Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 

our Spavin Cure, applied as directed. The animal may be given 
a run at pasture for two or three months. It is surprising how 
this injury will in some cases recover and the animal be useful 
for slow work for years. 

SWEENY. 

This, properly speaking, is Shoulder-slip, but in this article 
we have used the name in common use. It is atrophy (wasting 
away) of the muscles of the shoulder. 

Causes. — Sweeny is a condition frequently met with, as it may 
be caused in a variety of ways. It is more commonly seen in 
young horses that are put to heavy work when the muscles are 
soft. Plowing is a common cause, where the animal walks with 
one foot in the furrow and one foot out. Sudden jerks, such as 
might be caused by a plow striking a root or a rock, or suddenly 
starting a heavy load, a badly fitting collar, jolts or jars, bruises, 
or any injury to the shoulder, etc., all tend to produce the condi- 
tion known as sweeny. Long standing cases of lameness cause 
sweeny by the disuse of the muscles of the limb and shoulder. 

Symptoms. — About the first thing noticed by the owner is 
wasting away of the muscles of the shoulder, and the animal may 
be somewhat stiff, or even lame, for a few days previous. There 
is also an unnatural bulging of the shoulder joint. In some cases 
atrophy occurs to such an extent that one might think the mus- 
cles had disappeared entirely. 

Treatment. — There are a great many forms of treatment used 
in curing sween}^, and some of them are very cruel and useless. 
The only treatment we use, and we never find it to fail, is our 
Spavin Cure. (See Appendix.) This is a stimulating, penetrat- 
ing, sweating blister that stimulates the growth of the muscle 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 189 

and reproduces the shoulder in a remarkably short time. It sel- 
dom if ever requires over two or three applications to make a 
cure. Use according to directions. A good, but very simple, 
remedy is as follows: 

Oil of turpentine 2 drams. 

Sweet oil 4 drams. 

Mix, and inject under the skin in several places at the 
upper part of the wasted muscles. 

A swelling may follow the above injection, extending as far 
down as the knee and lasting for forty-eight hours, when it 
gradually disappears. Give the horse a run at pasture, or gentle 
exercise by riding, or driving with a breast collar. 

SHOULDEB-JOIXT LAMEXESS. 

The shoulder joint is liable to injuries in various ways, al- 
though not so often affected as some people commonly suppose. 
Among a certain class of "horse doctors," who, when they can 
not locate a case of lameness, always refer it to the shoulder joint 
at once, and blister and seton the same, putting the poor animal 
to an endless amount of torture, when in all probability the 
trouble is in the feet. 

Causes. — A common cause is direct injury, as by an animal 
running away, falling down, slipping, etc., and in young horses 
is often produced by turning and circling them violently when 
breaking them to work. It is a common trouble among cavalry 
horses. 

Symptoms. — Where the Lameness is well marked, the animal 
lias considerable difficulty in extending the limb; and in travel- 
ing the limb is kept as straight as possible, and is brought 



190 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 



forward with difficult}" — swinging it outward instead of carrying 
it forward in a natural manner. When the animal stands at rest 
the affected limb will be sliglitly bent, with the toe resting upon 
the ground. In some cases there will be swelling, heat, etc., in 
the region of the shoulder joint. On pulling the limb forward 
the animal will rear up, showing considerable pain. On allow- 
ing the animal to stand all night after being driven and warmed 




Fig. 37. Shoulder-Joint Lameness. 



up, he is found in the morning to be very stiff and lame; warm 
him up and the lameness decreases. He usually strikes the toe 
and stumbles when traveling, and on being made to step over 
some object, he either refuses, or does so with the utmost diffi- 
culty; in which case he drags his limb over, or strikes his toe 
against it. In some cases it is rather difficult to distinguish 
between shoulder- joint and foot lameness, especially where the 
lameness is slight and not well marked. In causing an animal 
to back, if he drags the foot it is a good indication of shoulder 
lameness. (See Fig. 37.) 



Dr. LeGeae's Stock Book. 191 

Treatment. — The animal should be given a rest, and hot water 
applied to the affected parts for an hour at a time two or three 
times a day. Bathe the parts with our Liniment (see Appendix), 
well rubbed in two or three times a day. This is undoubtedly 
the best liniment made for sprains and bruises and all muscular 
soreness. ' After the inflammation and swelling has gone down 
and the horse is still lame, the parts should be slightly blistered 
by rubbing in our Spavin Cure (see Appendix) lightly, according 
to directions, and give the horse a run at pasture. 

ENLARGED JOINTS. 

Enlarged joints are very frequently seen on horses that have 
had rough usage and hard work. They may be due to an injury, 
as from being snagged, kicked, or from a thorn. They are often 
due to sprains and hard work, that inflame the joint and cause 
an inflammatory swelling which may remain until removed by 
treatment. 

Treatment. — If the enlargement is of a bony formation it can 
not be removed. If the horse is lame, the lameness may be re- 
moved, but the enlargement will remain. If the enlargement is 
of a fleshy nature it may be removed by applying some good ab- 
sorbing, sweating blister, as our Spavin Cure. If our Spavin 
Cure will not remove an enlargement of this kind, no medicine 
will, for it is the best absorbing, penetrating, and sweating blister 
made. Use according to direction on each bottle. 

STIFLED. 

Stifled is the general name for "dislocation of the patella" — 
meaning that the patella, or little bone covering the stifle, has 
slipped out of place. The patella in the horse is a little bone 
covering the stifle, the same as the knee-cap covers the knee in 



192 Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 

man. This is rather a rare trouble in the horse, but still we see 
it quite often. 

Causes. — Stifle may be caused by a horse slipping, falling, 
stepping on a stone that rolls or gives way, especially if the ani- 
mal is in a weakened condition or suffering from some' debilitat- 
ing disease. Partial stifle is where the litte stifle bone slips par- 
tially out and in, making a clucking noise at every step, which is 
often seen in colts, especially those running on hilly pastures. 

Symptoms. — Stifled is an affection which when ouee seen can 
be easily told. The little bone (patella) slips to the outside, 
causing an enlargement on the outside of the stifle joint. But 
the most noticeable symptom is the position and action of the 
leg. The foot is extended backward and the animal can't bring 
it forward. The stifle bone (patella) serves as a pully to the 
hind leg, and when once cut of place the leg can't be brought 
forward until the stifle bone is put back or flies back in its place. 
In "partial stifle" there is a peculiar stiffness of the hind leg, 
and a clucking noise is noticed at every step, which is produced 
by the stifle bone slipping in and out of its socket. 

Treatment. — The treatment is not difficult, and as a rule is 
successful, if properly carried out. The first thing to do is to put 
the stifle bone back in place, which is done by tying a rope around 
the foot of the affected leg and letting one man stand in front 
of the animal and gently pull on the rope, while you press in on 
the stifle bone or enlargement on the outside of the stifle, when 
the bone will slip back in place with a clicking sound. In some 
cases, by exciting the animal, as by whipping, causing him to 
move suddenly, etc., the bone may fly back into place and the 
animal have free use of the leg until it slips out again. When 
once in position keep it there by tying the foot so it can't extend 
backwards, and bathe the stifle thorouo'hlv with warm water, and 



Dh. LeGeak's Stock Book. 193 

use Dr. LeGear's Liniment (see Appendix) twice per day, well 
rubbed in. Give the animal complete rest for some time. After 
about ten days the whole stifle should be well blistered to 
strengthen the ligaments that have been stretched and torn. 
There is no blister better than Dr. LeGear's Spavin Cure. In 
some cases a stifle shoe is very benelicial. In "partial stifle,*' 
where the bone slips in and out at every step, the animal should 
be kept quiet for a week or two and a good blister applied as rec- 
ommended above. 

HIP-JOIXT DISEASE. 

The hip-joint, one of the strongest joints in the body, is some- 
times the seat of disease, but not so often as is commonly sup- 
posed. Why this should be is plain to any one understanding 
the structure and situation of the joint, it being formed of some 
of the heaviest bones in the body, secured in place by extremely 
powerful ligaments, etc. 

Causes. — Any exercise of a violent character, as jumping, sud- 
den turns while running, slipping, falling, etc., may all operate 
in causing hip-joint lameness. When inflammation occurs in 
this joint, a series of pathological changes take place in exactly 
the same manner as in other joints. 

Symptoms. — The animal persists in standing; the foot is ele- 
vated from the ground and not allowed to descend, unless the 
animal is forced to move. Wasting away of the muscles of the 
part takes place, and in many cases the animal becomes unable 
to lie down, or does so with the greatest difficulty. In milder 
eases the animal may be able to place the foot upon the ground, 
and even travel. The animal travels with a kind of hop, and 
has considerable difficulty in bringing forward the Limb. The 
limb may also be brought forward in a circular manner, with the 
toe dragging upon the ground. 



194 Db. LeGeab's Stock Book. 

Treatment. — Give absolute rest, and apply foineutations of hot 
or cold water, according to the season of the year. After foment- 
ing for several days, and the heat and soreness is considerably re- 
moved, thoroughly blister the parts with our Spavin Cure, or 
use the firing iron, according to the directions for spavin. 

COLLAB GALLS. 

Collar galls are very common among working horses, and maj r 
be the means of considerable trouble and render the animal less 
liable to do his work. They are found in the region of the neck 
and shoulder, and are caused by a badly fitting or rough-seated 
collar, which sets up an irritation, resulting in a kind of tunioi\ 
etc., which being pressed upon by the collar causes considerable 
pain. 

Treatment. — If the sore is on the top of the neck, clip the 
hair closely and have the sore washed every morning thoroughly 
with castile soap and water and apply Dr. LeGear's Healing Lo- 
tion (see Appendix) two or three times per day. This is without 
doubt the finest preparation ever used for collar galls and saddle 
galls. It will heal the sore and let the horse work every day. 
Apply the Healing Lotion every morning after washing the sore, 
and on coming in at noon or night bathe the sore with a little 
cold water and apply the Healing Lotion. Keep the collar 
scraped perfectly clean. If the collar is too small or too large, 
change it and put on one that fit? well. 

SADDLE GALLS. 

Saddle galls are similar to collar galls, only they have a dif- 
ferent situation and are caused by badly fitted saddles, etc., and 
are more common in hot weather. 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 195 

Treatment. — The treatment of saddle galls is precisely the 
same as that given for collar galls, which see. 

SITFASTS. 

Sitfasts are horn-like sloughs of limited portions of the skin, 
the result of pressure by badly fitting saddles, collars, harness, 
etc. They are most common under the saddle, but may be 
found under collar or breeching, as well. The sitfast is a piece 
of dead tissue which would be thrown off but for its firm con- 
nection with the healthy tissue beneath. 

Treatment. — By laying a horse off work for a few weeks a sit- 
fast will generally heal up quite smoothly, but when put to work 
again it breaks out as bad, if not worse, than it was at first. 
There is a callous piece of dead skin that must be removed, and 
the only way to do that successfully is to thoroughly dissect it 
out. Split the skin and dissect out all the diseased tissue from 
under the healthy skin, and put in two or three stitches if neces- 
sary. Then have it well washed every day with soap and water 
to remove all matter and scabs, and apply a little of our Healing 
Lotion (see Appendix) twice a day. The Healing Lotion will 
heal it rapidly and toughen the skin, and thus prevent it from 
breaking out again when the animal is put to work. A long rest 
of two or three months should be given after a sitfast is cut out 
before a horse is rode again. 

KIDNEY-SORES. 

Kidney-sores are of the same nature as sitfasts, but are located 
back on the loins over the kidneys. They are caused by badly 
fitting saddles and require exactly the same treatment as sitfasts, 
which see. 



196 Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 



POLL EVIL. 

Poll evil is similar to fistula, only in a different location — on 
the poll just back of the ears. It is an inflammation of the parts 
named, and pus may burrow down between the muscles until it 
reaches and causes disease of the bones. 

Causes. — The cause is an injury of some kind, as blows, the 
horse striking his head while passing through a low doorway. 
and the wearing of badly fitting halters and bridles. It is also 
said to be caused by too tight reining. 

Symptoms. — The heat. pain, and swelling of the parts soon 
follow the injury, whatever kind it may be. Swelling continues, 
an abscess forms, and pus is discharged, at which time the swell- 
ing goes down. Pipes are formed, which may extend in all direc- 
tions, and the poll soon becomes one mass of disease. The animal 
protrudes his head, and on handling the inflamed parts pain is 
manifested. In some cases the swelling is so slight as to be over- 
looked, especially in those cases where the mane hides the dis- 
eased parts. 

Treatment. — As poll evil is the same kind of a disease as 
fistula, only situated in a different place, it requires the same 
kind of treatment as recommended for fistula, which see. 

FISTULA. 

A fistula really means a pipe or duet which leads from a cavity 
to the surface of the body, through which a discharge is con- 
stantly taking place. A fistula may then exist at any part, but 
it is commonly understood to mean a diseased condition of the 
withers. In this article it means disease of the withers. 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 197 

Causes. — Fistulous withers are seen mostly in those horses that 
have thick necks and in those that are high in the withers; or 
among saddle horses that are very low on the withers, the sad- 
dle moving forward and bruising the parts. It is often 
caused by badly fitted collars or saddles, by direct injury from 
blows, and the horse rolling upon rough or sharp stones. At 
first there may be only a simple abscess, or an ulcer of the skin, 
which if not properly treated may become fistula. In such cases 
the pus burrows and finds lodgment deep down among the mus- 
cles, which makes it very difficult for the matter to escape. 

Symptoms. — About the first thing noticed is a swelling on one 
or both sides of the withers, which is hot and painful and rapidly 
enlarging. If the matter which has formed in this cavity does 
not get out by natural or other means, it dries up and becomes 
hard and forms a kind of tumor which gradually develops into 
a fibrous nature. 

Treatment. — This is a very common disease of the horse in 
Texas, and is in most cases very hard to cure. If taken when 
first coming on it may be driven away by applying some good 
penetrating blister, as Dr. LeGear's Spavin Cure (see Appendix) 
well rubbed in. After some standing the only treatment to pur- 
sue successfully is to thoroughly open up the enlargement and 
cut out what diseased tlesh you can, and give free drainage to the 
pus by opening the sore low down. If the bone is diseased it 
should be scraped and all diseased portions removed. The cavi- 
ties should be injected with turpentine every three or four days 
to destroy any unhealthy tissue that is left. Grease the horse's 
shoulders under the sore well with lard just before putting in 
the turpentine, so as to keep the turpentine from burning him. 
If the holes you have made have a tendency to close, you can 
keep them open by inserting a seton of domestic or linen cloth. 
The wound should be washed well every morning with soap and 



198 Dk. LeGeab's Stock Book. 

water and one of the following lotions injected well into the sore 
every morning except when the turpentine is used: 

Corrosive sublimate 10 grains. 

Alcohol 1 ounce. 

Watar . 7 ounces. 

Mix. 

Or— 

Creolin 1 dram. 

Water 8 ounces. 

Mix. 

Or use Dr. LeGear's Healing Lotion. If in the summer time, 
jou can keep the flies away by using Dr. LeGear's Screw Worm 
Powder. (See Appendix.) 

CROOKED TAIL. 

Horses are occasionally seen that carry their tails to one side 
when traveling, but when standing the tail generally hangs 
straight. They are either born that way or do it from habit. 
It is very annoying to the owner of the horse if he uses it for 
single driving. It is not objectionable as a general rule in a 
farm horse, but looks bad in a driving horse. 

Treatment. — As a general rule the tail can be straightened by 
cutting in two one of the muscles at the side to which the tail 
crooks. The muscle on that side is shorter than the one on the 
opposite side. The place of operation is a few inches from the 
root of the tail. An incision is made through the skin and the 
muscle cut in two. The tail is then fastened around to the other 
side to allow a division to grow in between the divided ends of 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 



199 



the muscle. The tail is kept tied around to the side for eight 
or ten days. The wound should be washed and dressed every 
day and a bandage applied. Use our Healing Lotion as a dress- 
ing to heal the sore. If the muscle that is too short is fully devel- 
oped, the tail can as a general thing be straightened; but if the 
muscle is not developed fully, a cure is hopeless. 




Fig. 38. Hand-Clippers. 



CLIPPING HOESES. 



This is practiced to a considerable extent in some parts of this 
country during the winter and spring, when horses' hair is heavy, 
thick and long. The points in favor of clipping are that a horse 
will drive easier and freer and is not so liable to take cold as 
when they have such a heavy coat of hair. When a horse with 
very long, heavy hair becomes warmed up and sweaty, it takes 
him a long time to dry off; while a horse with short hair will dry 
off in a few minutes. To make a universal practice of clipping 
horses, we would condemn it, but in certain cases it is 
all right. Nature grows the thick, long coat of hair on a horse 
as a protection against the cold; therefore if we remove it, we 
must provide an artificial protection during the cold weather 
while the horse is not driving. A blanket should be carried to 
put over the horse while standing in the street if the air is cold 
or chilly: and one is to be worn in the stable during the cold 



200 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 



weather if the stable is not extra warm. To clip a horse arid let 
him stand ont in the cold without any protection, is a cruel prac- 
tice. Some horses, generally those that are well bred, have 
naturally short, fine hair and never need clipping. As a general 
thing, if a horse has a warm stable for winter and is well groomed 
once or twice a day, the coat will not grow so long that it will 
need clipping. In some of the large stables in the cities they 
have clipping machines run by motor power, which can clip a 
horse in a few minutes, but it is generally done by the use of 
the hand clipper. (Fig. 38.) 




Dr. LeG-ear's Stock Book. 201 

CHAPTER XIV. 
PARTURITION, OR FOALING. 

The period of gestation in the mare is usually about eleven 
months, although it may vary from ten to thirteen months. As 
a general thing, horse colts are carried a few days longer than 
fillies, and as a rule an old mare will carry her foal longer than 
a young mare. The period of pregnancy with the cow is about 
nine months; the sheep and goat about five months; the sow four 
months; the bitch two months; and the cat on an average of eight 
weeks. 

SIGNS OF PREGNANCY. 

As a rule, when a mare conceives, heat or the desire for the 
male is no longer observed, and when brought in the presence 
of a stallion she is generally unusually vicious. She becomes of 
a more quiet disposition, especially noticeable in nervous, vicious 
mares. An increase of fat, with softness and flabbiness of mus- 
cle, a loss of energy, indisposition for active work, and manifesta- 
tions of laziness are pretty good signs of pregnancy. The belly 
gradually enlarges and the udder increases in size as gestation 
advances. The vulva becomes swollen and the muscles on the 
hips sag down ami the flanks get hollow. Milk forms in the ud- 
der, and a good sign of foaling time is the formation of a wax-like 
substance on the ends of the teats two or four days before. The 
foal can generally be made to kick by giving the mare a drink of 
cold water. It may also be felt or seen kicking while the mare is 
eating as well as drinking. There may also be a flow of mucus 
from the vulva for a day or two before parturition. The animal 



202 Be. LeGear's Stock Book. 

may show slight uneasiness and abdominal pain for a day or two 
before foaling. 

NATURAL PRESENTATIONS. 

As a rule, foaling is easily and quickly done in the mare, it 
requiring usually not more than ten or twenty minutes. If labor 
is continued any length of time the colt usually dies; while with 
the cow it may last one or two days and the calf live. When the 
time comes she becomes uneasy, getting up and down frequently. 
Presently true labor pains begin, the womb contracts on its con- 
tents, assisted by the diaphram and abdominal muscles; and the 
whole body becomes convulsed with the effort. The mouth of 
the womb becomes dilated, and the water bag appears and bursts, 
and a few efforts forces it out. If the head of the unborn is cov- 
ered with membranes, they should be removd at once, and if the 
cord is large and strong it should be tied with a string about 
three inches from the navel and then cut off an inch below that. 
If the cord breaks off close and there is a leakage from the navel 
it should be sewed up as soon as possible. 

The natural presentation is for the front feet to come first, 
with the head on top of or between the knees, as seen in Figure 

1, Plate IV., or the hind feet may come first, as in Figure 

2, Plate IV. In some cases the mouth of the womb is rigid and 
doesn't open sufficiently to allow the passage of the foal. In 
such cases it may be dilated by the hand or by smearing the parts 
with extract of belladonna. 

UNNATURAL PRESENTATIONS. 

There are a great many unnatural presentations, and it will 
take too much space to describe them all here; therefore we will 
try and make plain a few of the more common ones. Considering 
the immense number of mares in a breeding district that will 







I- / 

w 




Plate IV. NATURAL PRESENTATIONS IN THE MARE. 



Dk. LeGear's Stock Book. 203 

give birth to a foal every year, this trouble is very rare, but is 
more frequent in cows. A common presentation is that in which 
the head of the foetus is presented in a proper manner with the 
fore limbs turned backward. (Figs. 1 and 2, Plate X., as seen in 
unnatural presentations in the cow.) In all cases, before making 
an examination, the operator should prepare himself by taking off 
his coat and vest, shirt and undershirt, so as to have free use of 
the bare arms. Get your hand and arm warm and clean by 
washing well in warm water and soap, and lubricate them well 
with sweet oil. If after examination you should find the trouble 
to be as just mentioned above, the head should be pushed back 
to allow the hand to pass into the womb and grasp the ankles 
of the front feet, which may be brought forward, and as a rule 
delivery is then easily done. In some cases it may be necessary 
to pass a small cotton rope around the ankles to help pull them 
into position. After once in proper position, gentle pulling can 
be done to aid the mare in delivering the foal. It is best to pull 
Avhen labor pains are on. 

Presentation of the front legs with the head turned back is a 
very bad one, and often requires a great deal of work to get the 
foal in the proper position. (Figs. 4 and 5, Plate X.) Push 
back on the feet and try and grasp the underjaw with your hand, 
when the head may be brought into the proper position and de- 
livery made easy. It may be well to fasten a cotton rope around 
each foot and then try and loop another rope around the lower 
jaw. When you have the rope fastened to the lower jaw, push 
back oh the feet and pull gently on the jaw, and in this way you 
may succeed in bringing the head into the natural presentation. 

Sometimes the foal is found lying on its back, and only the 
ears and back of its head can be felt. (Fig. 6, Plate X.) In a 
case of this kind every efforl should be made to turn the foal on 
its belly, and by securing the front feel delivery may be made. 

Breech presentation, or presentation of the hind quarters, is 
M 



2©4 I>b. LeGbak's Stock Book. 

one in which delivery is very frequently rendered impossible, or 
can be made only with the greatest difficulty. We have had cases 
of this kind in large mares, where we have worked six hours or 
more before delivering the foal, and in some cases delivery is im- 

ssible without cutting up the foal and taking it away in pi 
You must try and push the colt forward, and either try to turn it 
around or get hold of the hind feet, and get them in the passage, 
and then delivery may be effected quite easily. After the mare 
has been trying to foal for two or three hours, the colt will as a 
general thing be dead: so now every effort should be made to sa 
the mare by getting the colt away as best you can. A pair of partu- 




rition shear- (Fig. 39) are very useful in cases of this kind. By 
pushing the foal forward you can then loop a rope around the 

hind les;s above the hocks and straighten them back into a hori- 
zontal position. Then insert your parturition shears and cut >fl 
the legs above the hocks as far up as possible: then the foal may 
be delivered. The jaws of these shears can be opened and cl - ; 
by turning the lever at the end of the handle. 

Occasionally there may be one fore-limb and one hind-I: 
sented. In such cases great care should be taken not to pull 
on these two limbs, as it would be impossible to deliver the foal 
in tliis way. After making an examination and you decid-. 1 1 
bring the colt away backwards, push the front leg back into the 
ib and secure the other hind leg. and then the foal may be 
delivered: or vice versa. 



Dr. LbGeab's Stock Book. 



205 




Fig. 40. Embryotomy Knife. 



Back presentation is one of the most difficult of all unnatural 
presentations to deliver. Ever}'- effort should be made to turn 
the foal into its proper position. 

In twins, one foal should come with the front feet and head 
first, while the other should come backwards. 

Occasionally a case is met 
with in which there is a large 
accumulation of water on the 
brain, making it impossible for 
the head to come through the 
channel. In such a case the 
skull may be cut into with a 
knife, as in Fig. 40, and the 
water allowed to escape, when, as a general thing, delivery may 
be effected. There may be a large accumulation of water in the 
abdominal cavity (belly.) This can be punctured, and then de- 
livery effected. 

Monstrosities are sometimes found. A monstrosity is a de- 
formed foetus (young animal), and it is sometimes of such a 
shape and size as to make delivery impossible without dissecting 
and removing it in pieces. 

AFTER-TREATMEXT OF THE MARE. 

In all severe cases of delivery the mare should have special 
care for some time afterwards. If she is weak, and there is dan- 
ger of inflammation setting in, give a drench of the following: 

Laudanum 1^ ounces. 

Sweet nitre 2 ounces. 

Whisky -i ounces. 

Water ^ pint. 

Mix, and give as a drench, and repeal every four hours 
until you have given three doses; then leave off the laud- 
anum and repeal the sweet nitre until the animal is 
stronger. 



206 Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 

Inject into the womb with a large syringe or injection pump 
(Fig. 13, p. 70) one or two gallons of warm water, into which put 
1 teaspoon of carbolic acid to each gallon of water. If necessary, 
repeat the injections every morning for three or four days. Give 
her all the fresh water she will drink, and soft, easily digested 
food to eat. 

RETENTION OF THE PLACENTA (AFTERBIRTH). 

This is of rare occurrence in the mare, but is very common 
among cows. It is never advisable to remove the afterbirth im- 
mediately after delivery, as serious results are liable to follow. 
If it is allowed to remain twenty-four hours it may come away of 
itself. In the cow the placenta is attached to the womb by means 
of sixty or seventy small round fleshy bodies called cotyledons; 
while in the mare the attachment is by small villi. If the after- 
birth remains in longer than twenty-four hours it should be re- 
moved, as decay will set in, and the animal is very liable to take 
blood poisoning from it. We advise its removal with the hand, 
where there is any one who understands how to remove it. Great 
care should be taken not to injure the womb and cause bleeding. 
The bare hand and arm should be oiled and gently inserted; and 
in the cow the afterbirth should be carefully unbuttoned, as it 
were, from each cotyledon, great care being taken not to pull off 
the cotyledons themselves. In the mare it can be gently sepa- 
rated from all its attached portions and removed. After remov- 
ing the afterbirth wash out the womb well with water and car- 
bolic acid as recommended above. If the afterbirth has started 
to decay and smells bad, the operator should oil his arm well with 
sweet oil 4 ounces and carbolic acid 2 drams, to prevent taking 
blood poison. The hand should never be inserted in cases of 
this kind if it has any sores on it. Sometimes the afterbirth may 
be brought away by giving the cow 1 ounce of ergot as a drench 
every four hours, until two or three doses have been given. 



Dr. LeGear's Stock' Book. 207 

hemorrhage after delivery. 

Very profuse bleeding sometimes takes place after delivery in 
both the mare and the cow, due to rupture of some blood vessel 
in the womb. This may be checked by applying cold water and 
ice to the loins and cleaning out the blood clots and injecting 
into the womb a strong solution of tincture of iron. The womb 
may be packed full of cloths wrung out of cold water. Also may 
give 1 ounce of ergot of rye. 

INVERSION OF THE WOMB. 

This is a turning inside-out of the womb, generally due to dif- 
ficult delivery, and of violent straining by the animal due to 
after-pains. It is more common among cows, and may take place 
immediately after calving or not until twenty-four hours or 
more. The womb protrudes from the vulva sometimes as large 
as a water bucket, and the animal in lying down gets the parts all 
dirty and filthy. 

Treatment. — The animal should be made to rise and stand in a 
position so that the hind quarters are 8 or 12 inches higher 
than the front parts. The womb, if dirty, should be nicely 
washed with warm water and a little carbolic acid and gently re- 
turned to its place, which in some cases is found very difficult. 
If the animal has a tendency to strain after the womb is returned, 
it may be quieted by giving 1 ounce of laudanum in 1 pint of 
water as a drench every two hours. In some cases it is found very 
hard to keep the animal from forcing the womb out again. 
Keep the animal standing or lying with her head down hill, and 
a truss may be applied to keep the womb from coming out. The 
most convenient truss for a cow we have used is made from a 
piece of small cotton rope about twenty feet long. Tie a loop 
in the center of the rope large enough to go over her head and 



208 Dr. LeGeab's Stock Book. 

back on the neck. Pass the ends of the rope between the fore 
legs, and bring one up on each side and make a single tie over 
the loins: then pass it back and make another single tie right 
under the tail, and another over the vulva: then pass the ends of 
the rope between the hind legs, one on each side of the bag. 
Then bring them up on each side of the body and tie them to the 
ropes that pass along her sides. Keep this moderately tight for a 
day or two. If the womb has been out for two or three days and 
is partly decayed, it will have to be removed. This is not success- 
ful in the mare, but is quite so with the cow. It can be removed 
with the ecrasure, which is the best and safest means of cutting" 
it off. It may be cut off with a knife, and the arteries tied to 
stop the bleeding. 

IXFLAilMATIOX OF THE WOMB. 

This is a very serious condition, and when the womb is in- 
flamed to any great extent, is invariably fatal. It is caused by 
difficult delivery, injuries to the womb, exposure to cold and 
wet. and from the irritant action of putrid products within the 
womb. 

Symptoms. — There is a stiff, slow gait, an arched back, dull- 
ness, uneasiness with lifting of the hind feet, indicating pain, a 
discharge from the vulva of a watery nature at first, then becomes 
reddish or yellowish, and foetid in character. By pressing the 

animal's sides there is pain shown. 

Treatment — (.Treat pains should be taken that the womb be 
thoroughly washed out with warm water and carbolic acid or 
warm water and corrosive sublimate: 1 part to 200 may be used 
with benefit. Syringe the womb out thoroughly erery day. Gi\re 
internallv the following: 



Dr. LeG-eab's Stock Book. 209 

Laudanum 1-J ounces. 

Tr. aconite 20 drops. 

Alcohol , 3 ounces 

Water \ pint. 

Mix., and give as a drench every four hours until three 
or four doses are given. 

Keep the animal in a comfortable place and give what water 
and food she will take. If a cow, you may give half a pound 
of Epsom salts, and repeat in twelve hours. If a mare, give half 
a pint of raw linseed oil. This is a very serious disease, and most 
cases will die. 

LEUCORRHOEA, OR WHITES. 

This is a white, glutinous, chronic discharge from the womb. 
It is generally due to a continued sub-acute inflammation of the 
mucus membrane of the womb. 

Treatment. — Wash out the womb with warm water, and then 
inject the following: 

Sulphate of zinc 6 drams. 

Acetate of lead 1 ounce. 

Water 1 quart. 

Repeat this twice a day for several days. Or a solution as fol- 
lows may be injected: 

Permanganate of potash 2 ounces. 

Water 1 gallon. 



Give the following 



210 Dr. LeGeae's Stock Book. 

Sulphate of iron 2 ounces. 

Powdered nux vomica H ounces. 

Gentian 3 ounces. 

Mix into twelve powders, and give one powder night 
and morning in damp feed. 

ABORTION. 

Abortion is the expulsion of the young animal at any period 
from the date of impregnation until the animal can live out of 
the womb. Abortion is quite a common occurrence among 
mares, but still more prevalent among cows. There is one form 
of abortion that is contagious, and it causes immense losses to 
breeders in certain sections of the country. 

Causes. — Abortion may be caused by rapid driving or riding, 
blows on the abdomen, drinking a quantity of cold water, excite- 
ment, or fright, etc. Slipping, falling, bleeding an animal, or 
inflammation of any of the internal organs, as the lungs, kidneys, 
liver, bowels, etc., nury tend to cause miscarriage. Giving strong 
doses of physic, or for the animals to eat certain kinds of irri- 
tant foods and grasses, such as ergot of rye, etc., will have a ten- 
dency to cause the trouble. In the contagious form it is caused 
by a certain germ gaining access to the animal's system, and 
exciting the womb to contractions and abortion. 

Symptoms. — The symptoms vary greatly according to whether 
the abortion takes place early or late in pregnancy. If it takes 
place during the first two or three months there are generally 
very little symptoms to be observed, and frequently an animal will 
abort and be in heat before the owner is aware that anything 
has happened. Later in pregnancy it may be very dangerous co 
the animal for miscarriage to take place. The animal will often 
become very sick, with severe straining and much uneasiness. 



Dr. LeG ear's Stock Book. 211 

There is often swelling of the vulva with a mucus or bloody dis- 
charge. There will be all the symptoms of parturition, and un- 
less the young is in a natural presentation, it will have to be rec- 
tified before delivery can be affected. Abortion may also be fol- 
lowed by retention of the afterbirth, bleeding, etc., as in parturi- 
tion. 

Treatment and Prevention. — Both in the pregnant mare and 
cow all treatment and usage that is liable to cause abortion 
should be abandoned; for if an animal is caused to abort, from 
whatever cause, it is very liable to abort again the next season. 
If the symptoms of abortion are noticed coming on, the animal 
should be removed from all other pregnant animals; and if there 
is much pain it should be quieted by giving one or two ounces of 
laudanum as a drench. Black-haw in 1-ounce doses may prevent 
the impending abortion. Keep the animal perfectly quiet and 
give the very best of care. If miscarriage takes place, the ani- 
mal, especially if it be a cow, should be at once removed from all 
pregnant cows, and every trace of the calf, afterbirth, etc., re- 
moved and burned or buried deeply. Wash out the womb with 
warm water containing half an ounce of carbolic acid to the 
gallon. Keep her away from the other pregnant animals until 
all discharges from the vulva cease, which will be from eight to 
twelve days. If a cow that has aborted is let remain with the 
other cows, they are very liable to abort also. If the afterbirth 
does not come away with the foetus, it should be removed and 
destroyed. Cases are on record where contagious abortion has 
caused nearly all the pregnant animals on a farm or ranch to 
abort. 

STERILITY, OR BARRENNESS. 

This is a condition that may be found in all animals, both male 
and female. A very common cause in cattle is breeding too 



212 Dr. LeGeab's Stock Book. 

young and inbreeding too closely, which naturally weakens the 
constitution and causes barrenness. Jerseys have especially been 
injured in this way. Sterility in the stallion is often due to one 
or both testicles failing to come down into the scrotum (bag). 
The testicles that haven't come down are seldom developed suffi- 
ciently to secrete the semen. Therefore it is quite safe to say 
that ridglings are barren as a general thing. Inflammation of 
the testicles, resulting in a hardened condition of the same, may 
be a cause of barrenness: or fatty degeneration of the testicles. 
Any disease that weakens the system or makes it painful for the 
stallion or bull to mount, may be a cause of sterility. Occasion- 
ally there is a local paralysis or weakness in connection with the 
penis which makes it impossible for the animal to protrude his 
penis far enough for service. Cows and mares may be too fat to 
breed; also the opposite condition may be present. There may 
be an imperfect development of the ovaries, cysts or other tumors 
of the ovary.- A chronic inflammation of the vagina and womb, 
as whites, etc.. may cause barrenness. Another very common 
cause of this trouble in the mare is the closure of the neck of the 
womb. This can be remedied by introducing the hand and 
gradually dilating the parts with the fingers. Cows and mares 
used for breeding purposes shouldn't be overfed nor underfed, 
but fed moderately and well cared for. They should be free 
from all diseases and blemishes, and of strong mature age — not 
too old nor too young. 

EXCESS OE YEXEEAL DESIRE. 

This is seen both in mares and cows, and is very troublesome 
to the animal and very annoying to the owner. It is seen more 
frequently in cows, and they are called "perpetual bullers." It 
may be caused by certain strong, stimulating kinds of food, but 
it is more frequently caused by irritation in some portion of the 
generative organs. Disease of the ovaries is the most common 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 



213 



cause, as it excites the sexual desire and causes the animal to 
seek the male continually. It may be due to tumors in the 
vagina or womb, and if they do become pregnant they generally 
abort. The animal is generally so irritable and restless that it 
falls off in flesh and is a source of annoyance to the whole herd. 

Treatment. — If it is due to disease of the ovaries, remove them 
by spaying the animal, and the trouble will cease. If due to an 
inflamed or irritated womb or vagina, that may be relieved by in- 
jections of water containing a little carbolic acid. As it is in- 
curable in a great many cases, it may be well to get rid of the 
animal, as they are not desirable property to have about. 




214 De. LeGeab's Stock Book. 

CHAPTER XV. 

CASTRATION OF STALLIONS. 

The proper age usually for castrating colts is about one year 
old. but it may be perf onied at a few months old. or several years 
old. Taking everything into consideration, we believe at one 
year old is the best time for castration, provided the colt is in 
good health and his testicles are down. About the best time 
for castration is during March and April and October and No- 
vember. It is not advisable to castrate during the summer, as 
the flies are too bad and the weather too hot. Any time during 
the winter does very well, if a norther doesn't blow up in a day or 
two after the operation; but if a warm stable is to be had, there is 
no danger from the cold. As far as the "signs"' of the moon are 
concerned, that is all bosh. It is an old grandmother idea, and 
very hard to get out of some men's heads. Have your colts in 
good condition and the weather right, and that is all the •'signs" 
you need; and then if the operation is proj^erly performed your 
colts will do all right. Castrating old stallions is more danger- 
ous than young colts, but if they are in good health, with clean 
surroundings, and the operation properly performed, there is 
no danger whatever to be feared. 

There are several methods by which the operation can be per- 
formed, such as the clamps, searing, ligaturing, torsion, ecrasure 
(Fig. 41), and emasculator (Fig. 42). The last two ways are 
the only proper methods to be used. The first four methods 
named are old-styled and away out of date, and are not used at 
all at the present time by the veterinary profession. To operate 
by either of the two last methods tjie* animal is either thrown 
or operated on standing: we prefer to throw (Fig. 43) the animal. 
When the animal is tied, make an examination of the parts, and 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 



215 




Fig. 41. Miles' Ecrasure. 




Fig. 42. Haussmann's Emasculator. 



if no hernia (rupture) is present, take a firm hold on one of 
the testicles, and with a sharp knife (Figs. 44 and 45) make a 
free incision from before backwards about three-fourths of an 
inch to one side of the centre division (raphe). Be sure you have 
your hands and instruments perfectly clean before operating, so 
as not to poison the wound. Cut deep enough to let the testicle 
out of the scrotum (bag). Then grasp the other one and let it 
out by cutting on the other side about the same distance from the 
center. Put the chain of the ecrasure on the cord, or grasp it 
with the emasculator, and cut it in two with whichever instru- 



216 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 




a. 



(a) The horse ready to be thrown. 




6. 



(6) The horse thrown and tied. 



Fig. 43. THROWING THE HORSE. 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 



217 



ment you use. These, by their structure and method of cut- 
ting, stop all bleeding from the cord. Before letting the horse 
up, see that you have a good, big hole, so that all the matter will 
drain that forms in the wound for several days. The after-treat- 
ment consists in giving the animal good, nutritious food, plenty 
of exercise, and don't let him get wet in a cold rain for at least 
ten days. As there are certain normal and abnormal results that 
follow castration, we will give a few of them below: 




Fig. 44. Castrating Knife — single blade. 




Fig. 45. Castrating Knife — double blade. 



Swelling. — This is a normal condition, as it takes place more 
or less after every castration. As long as the animal has its ap- 
petite and shows no signs of high fever, there need be no alarm 
over the swelling. If the swelling becomes considerable, bathe 
the parts frequently with warm water and insert your clean fin- 
gers up into the holes to keep them open. Give plenty of gentle 
exercise, and turn out to pasture if one can be had. 



218 De. LeGeab's Stock Book. 

Pain.- — Pain, called "after pains," sometimes takes place after 
castration, and many occur in connection with the cord, or as a 
result of colic, etc. This may be relieved by walking exercise, 
but if it still persists, it can be relieved by giving Dr. LeGear's 
Colic Cure. (See Appendix.) 




Fig. 46. Operating Hood, to protect the eyes and quiet the animal while 
being thrown for an operation. 

Bleeding. — Bleeding from the wound in the scrotum (bag) 
may be quite free, especially in warm weather, but need not cause 
any alarm, as it will invariably stop of itself. If bleeding takes 
place to any alarming extent from the large artery in the cord, 
it should be checked before the animal bleeds too much. This 
can gnerally be done by plugging up the wound with cloths wet 
in cold water. If this fails to check the blood, the animal should 
be thrown and the artery secured and tied with a silk string. 

Pekitonitis. — Peritonitis (inflammation of the lining of the 
bowel cavity) may take place after the operation has been per- 
formed in a bungling manner, or by exposing the animal to wet 
and cold. This result is known by severe swelling, loss of appe- 
tite, high fever, severe internal pain, but the animal does not 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 



219 



roll. When peritonitis sets in, the animal will die, as a general 
thing. Bathe the swollen parts freely with warm water and give 
internally Dr. LeGear's Colic Cure. (See Appendix.) Keep the 
animal comfortable, in a dry, warm place, etc. 




Fig. 47. Baker's Hobbles, used for throwing a horse in common operations. 

Lockjaw. — Lockjaw occasionally follows the operation of 
castration. It may be brought on by exposure, or by the animal 
being kept in a damp, filthy stall or lot. Xot much can be done 
for it. 



Rupture. — It is quite a common thing for certain breeds of 
horses to be affected with hernia (rupture). Before castrating 
you should always examine the animal for rupture. Sometimes 
it may occur after the operation is performed, and the bowels 
protrude through the opening and may extend to the ground. 
If seen in time the animal should be thrown, the bowels put 
15 



220 Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 

back and the wound sewed up. If they protrude to a consider- 
able extent, it is almost useless to try to save the animal. Cas- 
tration can be performed on a ruptured animal by what is known 
as the "covered operation," but this shouldn't be undertaken ex- 
cept by an experienced veterinarian. 

Seedy Cord. — This is the formation of a tumor on or in con- 
nection with the cord, caused by rough handling or dragging 
upon the cord, or by leaving it too long, which adheres to the 
side of the wound and begins a fibrous growth. Castrating with 
the clamps is the most frequent cause of this, as the clamps hold 
and stretch the cord down for one, two or three days, and after 
they are removed the cord has lost its power of retracting and 
is very liable to adhere to the sides of the wound and cause seedy- 
cord, or water-seed. These tumors generally keep on growing, 
and sometimes become of an enormous size, making it almost im- 
possible for the animal to walk. The only remedy for this trou- 
ble is to thoroughly dissect them out. If taken before the tumor 
is very large it can be removed with not much trouble, but when 
the growth is of several months standing only a qualified vet- 
erinarian should undertake the operation. 

Castrating IyIDGLings. — A ridgling is an animal where one 
or both of his testicles has never come clown. They are either 
lodged in the channel (inguinal canal) or in the abdominal cav- 
ity. The castrating of these animals is a very difficult task, and 
one that we can not explain so that the unprofessional mind can 
understand the operation. The testicle has no certain place to 
be lodged, but has several places where it is liable to be found. 
Although it is a serious and severe operation, yet if it is under- 
taken by a person thoroughly versed in the anatomy of the parts, 
and who understands the operation, there is no particular danger 
to the animal. Ridgiings are as a rule very mean, ugly-disposi- 
tioned animals, and are not at all desirable to have about. Al- 



Dk. LeGear's Stock Book. 221 

though they can serve a mare, it is only in exceptional cases that 
they can get a colt. The testicle or testicles that haven't come 
down are not very thoroughly developed, therefore the reason 
why the animal is barren. 

SPAYING THE MAKE. 

Castration of the mare is a much more dangerous operation 
than in the females of other domesticated animals. Itisperformed 
only in those cases where the ovaries (pride) are diseased, and in 
those mares which are not wanted for breeding purposes. The 
operation can be performed in the flank or through the vagina. 
The latter is the best and safest method, but it takes considerable 
practice and certain costly instruments to be able to successfully 
perform it. Before thoroughly understanding this operation 
through the vagina, you must have a thorough knowledge of the 
anatomy of the parts. In operating in the flank, a hole is cut 
in the abdominal muscles in the left flank large enough to admit 
the hand. The hand is introduced into the abdominal cavit}' 
and the ovaries brough out and removed with the ecrasure. (Fig. 
41.) The wound is then sewed up and the operation is complete. 
As we said before, this operation is a serious one, and should not 
be undertaken by any one save an experienced surgeon. 



222 Db. LeGeak's Stock Book. 

CHAPTER XVI. 
DISEASES OF THE MALE ORGANS OF GENERATION. 

ORCHITIS. 

Orchitis is inflammation of the testicles, and is generally a 
very serious and painful affection. 

Causes. — As a rule it is caused by direct injury, such as blows, 
kicks, covering mares in an improper manner, etc. It may also be 
caused by exposure to cold, and being confined in cold, damp 
lots, stables, etc. 

Symptoms. — The parts become swollen and the animal suffers 
great pain. There is heat and tenderness in the scrotum (bag), 
and the animal walks in a stiff, straddling manner, and shows all 
signs of pain and misery. The animal will have more or less 
fever, a rapid pulse, and generally remains standing. 

Treatment. — The treatment must be both local and constitu- 
tional. Keep the animal perfectly quiet and bathe the swollen 
testicles with warm water for hours at a time. Support the tes- 
ticles by putting on a bandage, the ends of which may be passed 
between the hind legs and brought around and tied over the 
loins. Pad the bandage with cotton and keep it moist and warm 
by pouring on warm water. Apply astringent soothing lotions, 
such as 

Sugar of lead . 4 drams. 

Laudanum 1 ounce. 

Water 1 quart. 

Mix, and apply three or four times a day. 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 223 

Give internally a good physic, as the following: 

Barbadoes aloes 1 ounce. 

Nitrate of potash 2 drams. 

Ginger 2 drams. 

Water 1 pint. 

Mix, and give as a drench. 

After the inflammation has subsided and there is still swelling 
and accumulation of fluid in the bag, it may be absorbed by giv- 
ing the following: 

Iodide of potassium 1J ounces. 

Nitrate of potassium 2 ounces. 

Copperas 1 ounce. 

Mix, and make twelve powders, and give one in damp 
feed every morning. 

HYDROCELE— DROPSY OF THE SCROTUM. 

This is an affection which the stallion is sometimes afflicted 
with. It is an accumulation of water in the scrotum (bag), and 
is often the result of inflammation of the testicles, or may be due 
to local diseases of the testicles, cord, or walls of the sack. 

Symptoms. — The symptoms are enlargement of the scrotum 
with water, being recognized by fluctuating under the fingers 
when examined. This is rather a rare condition and is not very 
serious as a general thing. 

Treatment. — If the scrotum contains much serum (water) it 
should be drawn off with a hollow needle. It may be absorbed by 
painting the scrotum once a day with tincture of iodine and giv- 
ing one dram of iodide of potassium every morning for two or 
three weeks. 



224 Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 



ENLABGED TESTICLES. 

This condition is occasionally met with in the stallion, and the 
testicle may enlarge to three or four times its natural size. It 
may be due to a chronic inflammation, and may increase in size 
very slowly. When this affection is recognized, the only success- 
ful treatment is castration. 

PABAPHYMOSIS. 

By paraphymosis is understood protrusion of the penis without 
power to retract it. It is caused by injuries directly or indirectly 
received. Stallions suffer more frequently than geldings. Too 
frequent service is often the cause, and we have seen it caused 
by large stallions injuring the penis by serving small mares. 

Symptoms. — The penis protrudes from the sheath and is much 
swollen, and may or may not be very painful to the animal. 

Treatment. — If taken in time it can generally be treated suc- 
cessfully. If swollen to any considerable extent the penis should 
be lightly scarified by cutting several small holes into it with a 
sharp knife, to let some of the blood and serum ooze out. After 
scarifying, bathe it nicely with warm water for an hour at a 
time, and then a solution of alum water applied. The penis 
should be supported by a bandage. Give one pint of raw linseed 
oil as a drench, and give one dram of nitrate of potash morning 
and night in damp feed. Feed plenty of bran mashes and no 
corn. If it is caused by too frequent service, give one dram of 
nux vomica every night for two or three weeks. If the case is 
too far advanced before treatment is begun and mortification 
sets in, the penis should be amputated (cut off), and the ecrasure 
is the best instrument for the operation. (See Fig. 41.) 



De. LeGeae's Stock Book. 225 



PHYMOSIS. 

This is just the opposite to paraphimosis, and consists of in- 
ability to protrude the penis from the sheath. It is generally 
due to some abnormal growth or contraction of the sheath, mak- 
ing it impossible for the animal to protrude the penis. Warts 
on the penis or in the sheath may cause it. 

Treatment. — If due to warts, they should be removed by 
throwing the animal and withdrawing the penis from the sheath. 
If due to the constriction of the prepuce, it should be slit with a 
pair of scissors. If due to debility, feed well and give our Con- 
dition Powders. (See Appendix.) 

PARALYSIS OF THE PENIS. 

This is generally caused by blows or other injuries to the 
penis, or from too "frequent and exhausting service. The causes 
are much the same as for paraphymosis. 

Symptoms. — This is a local paralysis, and the penis hangs from 
the sheath in a flabby, pendulous, and often cold condition. The 
urine is generally passed in a slow, dribbling manner. 

Treatment. — The animal should have good care and good, 
nourishing food. Give one dram of powdered mix vomica in a 
bran mash morning and night for two or three weeks. If the 
paralysis is due to an injury, bathe the injured parts with warm 
water and apply our Healing Lotion two or three times per day. 

SELF-ABUSE— MASTURBATION. 

This is a disgusting, weakening, vicious habit thai some stal- 
lions acquire. It is done by stimulating the sexual desire to the 



226 Dr. LeGe Ait's Stock Book. 

discharge of semen, by rubbing the penis against the belly or be- 
tween the front legs. Some stallions practice this vicious habit so 
much that they keep thin and poor, no matter how well fed. If 
in a common stallion of not much value for breeding purposes 
we would advise castration. It can be prevented by the use of a 
shield which is attached over the end of the sheath and fastened 
on by straps over the loins and between the thighs. Shields arc 
generally made of netting or screening, and are so adjusted to 
the horse as to keep him from protruding his penis. 

GONORRHOEA. 

This is a disease seen occasionally among both horses and 
cattle, but more frequently among cattle. In cattle it is some- 
times called "bull-burnt." It is an inflammation of the urethra 
(the canal that conveys the urine from the bladder), and some- 
times becomes a very serious affection. Stallions or bulls affect- 
ed with gonorrhoea will convey it to every female they have con- 
nection with. Females will also communicate it to males. 

Causes. — It may arise from any cause that has a tendency to 
irritate the urethra of the male, or the urethra or vagina of the 
female. Gravel or irritating urine may irritate and inflame the 
urethra, which may remove the lining membrane and cause 
chancres or ulcers. Too frequent service is a prolific cause, and 
it may originate in the female from the whites. 

Symptoms. — The animal shows considerable pain in urinating, 
which is frequently attempted, while only a little urine is passed. 
The animal evinces a great deal of pain by raising and stamping 
the hind legs and is disinclined to move. There is a whitish 
discharge from the penis or vagina. In neglected cases the 
membranes peel off. ulcers or chancres appear, and the bull or 



Dk. LeGear's Stock Book. 227 

stallion may become totally useless from the sinuses in the penis, 
and large tumors, which calls for amputation of the penis. 

Treatment. — Affected animals should not be allowed to copu- 
late (serve), as the disease is communicated, and the previous 
sufferer endures greater pain. If noticed in the early stages, give 
the cow or bull one and one-half pounds of epsom salts, or the 
stallion or mare one ounce of aloes. Then give a good blood 
ronic, such as our Condition Powders. (See Appendix.) 

Use as an injection the following: 

Sulphate of zinc 1 dram. 

Glycerine 4 ounces. 

Soft water 6 ounces. 

Mix, and inject with a syringe once per day. Or 20 
grains of permanganate of potash in a pint of water is 
good. 

All heating food should be abandoned and a light laxative diet 
given. Don't put the animal to hard work or severe exertion dur- 
ing an attack of gonorrhoea. The chancres should be burnt with 
caustic and then an astringent wash, as the above, applied. 

FOULNESS OF THE SHEATH AND PENIS. 

This is a very common trouble in geldings, due to their not 
protruding the penis very often out of its sheath. There accu- 
mulates a dark colored, sebaceous substance within the sheath 
and on the penis, which gets so abundant at times that it causes 
great uneasiness to the animal. This should be washed out oc- 
casionally with warm water and soap, using a soft cloth or 
sponge. After washing, grease all the inside of the sheath with 
a little sweet oil or fresh lard. Great care should be taken in 



228 



De. LeGeae's Stock Book. 



washing it out. as the parts can be very easily injured and cause 
considerable swelling. 

More trouble arises from the formation of little "beans" of a 
soft, clayish color in the cavity in the head of the penis. They 
sometimes obstruct the passage and cause the horse considerable 
trouble in staling. They should be removed by carefully draw- 
ing out the penis and removing them with the finger. 




Dk. LeGear's Stock Book. 229- 

CHAPTER XVII. 

THE FOOT. 

The foot of the horse is undoubtedly one of the most im- 
portant parts of the animal, and it is subject to many injuries 
and diseases, which, in part or in whole, render the animal un- 
fit for the work he is intended to do. The old maxim, "No foot, 
no horse," is as true to-day as when first expressed. As the value 
of the horse depends largely or entirely upon his ability to labor, 
it is all important that his feet be kept sound. To do this it is 
necessary not only to know how to cure all diseases of the feet, 
but how to prevent them. The hard and rough work the horse 
is compelled to do, and the abuses the foot is put to by defective 
shoeing, are the fruitful causes of so many diseased and injured 
feet. 

The foot may be said to be composed of the hoof and the 
structures contained therein. Within the hoof may be found the 
coffin bone, navicular bone, sensitive laminae, lateral cartilages^ 
planter cushion, and fatty frog. The hoof is composed of the 
wall, sole, and frog. The wall is that portion of the hoof that 
can be seen when the foot is placed on the ground. The frog is 
the three-cornered portion of the bottom of the foot that ter- 
minates near the center of the foot in a point. The sole com- 
prises the remaining portion of the bottom of the foot. The frog- 
is composed of a soft, spongy tissue, and serves as a cushion to 
the foot. The lateral cartilages are pads of cartilage (gristle) 
placed one on each side of the foot in the region of the quarters. 
They are just inside the hoof and act as a spring to the heel 
while the animal is traveling. When they become diseased they 
turn to bone and are then called side-bones. The coffin-joint is 
situated deeply in the foot, and is formed by the union of the 
coffin bone, navicular bone, and os-coronae. When it becomes 



230 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 



diseased it is verv hard to treat, as the trouble is located so deeply 
in the foot. The coronary band is situated just to the inside of 
the top of the wall of the hoof, and it is from it the wall grows. 
A brief description of the diseases and injuries of the foot will 
be found below. 

CONTRACTION, OE NARROW HEEL. 

Contraction is not of itself a disease, but the symptom of dis- 
ease. It is often called "narrow-heel," as the whole heel and 
frog waste away. Contraction is due to the atrophy or wasting 
away of the fatty frog and other vascular substances above the 
frog and within the heel. "When these substances waste away 
the walls at the heel gradually draw in and form contraction, or 
narrow-heel. It is generally brought on by coffin- joint lameness 
-or any fever in the heels. Improper shoeing, by cutting out the 
bars and frogs, and shoeing with high heel shoes, etc., are fre- 
quent causes of this trouble. 



Treatment. — Dilatation of the hoof by mechanical means (hoof 
expanders, Fig. 48) is practiced very little in this country to what 

it is in France. In many cases, no 
Sl^^lR^^i doubt, hoof expanders are found to 

be beneficial in contraction. But 
when the contracted feet have to be 
expanded, there is a far more simple 
and effective means of attaining that 
end in the foot itself. By lowering 
the walls at the heels, so as to re- 
store frog pressure, the latter speed- 
ily recovers its lost characteristics, 
and in a healthy condition gradu- 
ally and naturally accomplishes one of the very purposes for 
which nature placed it there. In some cases tips properly ap- 
plied and persisted in will cure contracted heels. 




Fig. 48. Hoof-Expander. 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 231 



FOUNDEK— LAMINITIS. 

Founder is a very painful disease of the horse and is very 
destructive to a horse's usefulness unless treated properly and 
taken in time. Laminitis is the professional name for the trouble 
meaning inflammation of the sensitive lamina (delicate internal 
part of the foot). Fever in the feet is another name for the 
trouble. 

Causes. — There are a great many causes for founder, such as 
driving too hard on hard roads on a hot day; driving through 
cold streams of water, or giving the animal cold water to drink, 
while he is too warm; letting stand in a cold wind or storm while 
hot without protecting his body; eating too much corn or oats, 
etc. It may also be brought on by diarrhoea, or by giving too 
strong a physic. If a horse has been foundered, great care should 
be taken of him, as he will take it again very easily. 

Symptoms. — The symptoms vary according to whether one. 
two, or all feet are affected. In a majority of cases both front 
feet are the ones affected. In these cases the animal will be 
found standing with his back arched, the hind feet carried for- 
ward towards the center of the body in order that the weight 
may be borne as much as possible by them and removed from the 
fore feet. If made to back, he drags his front feet as though he 
couldn't lift them from the ground. When made to go ahead, 
he does it with great difficulty, stumbling as he goes ahead. 
Founder is an excruciatingly painful disease, and the animal 
may break out in a sweat or shiver with pain. There is a rush of 
blood to the feet, which, by producing swelling inside of the 
hard, unyielding hoofs, presses on the many nerves and causes 
severe pain. The animal may lie down most of the time, which 
takes the pressure off the feet and affords some relief. There is 



232 



Dk. LeGeak's Stock Book. 



.generally a high fever and the pulse is fast and strong. If the 
disease is neglected rough rings or ridges grow on the hoofs by 
the fever interfering with the growth of the hoofs. (Fig. 49.) As 
founder affects principally the front of the foot, the animal will 
try to get relief by standing and walking on his heels. In severe 
cases the sole and wall may separate, and the coffin-bone come 
down through the bottom of the foot. This is called "pumiced 
foot." In chronic founder the horse may be very stiff on start- 
ing off, but he will limber up and drive very well until cooled 
off again. 





Fig. 49. Foundered Feet. 



Treatment. — The treatment of founder should be commenced 
at once, and varies according to the cause. If caused by eating 
too much grain, or by drinking water while warm, or by hard 
driving, give the following physic: 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 233 

Barbadoes aloes 1 ounce. 

Nitrate of potash 4 drams. 

Tincture aconite 20 drops. 

Ginger 2 drams. 

Water 1 pint. 

Mix, and give as a drench. 

Give 15 drops of tincture of aconite in a little water every four 
hours until four doses are given. Also give 2 drams of nitrate 
of potash every four hours for three days. Give bran mashes, 
etc.. to eat. Applications to the feet are very necessary. If the 
horse can stand, put him in a running stream, or in a hole dug 
out of a stall, or in a corner of the lot having about four inches 
<>f clean water in it. Let Mm remain in the water two or three 
hours twice a day. After removing from water apply our Lini- 
ment well rubbed in, which is very necessary to draw out the 
soreness. Wet clay is very good to stand a horse in. In the win- 
ter warm poultices of bran and linseed can be tied on the feet 
with a piece of sack: or the horse may be stood in a tub of warm 
water. If the disease is brought on by too much physic or from 
diarrhoea, give the same treatment prescribed above with the ex- 
ception of the physic. Don't give any physic in those cases. Al- 
ways remove the shoes, and in some cases pare down the feet. 
Give walking exercise about the third day, and increase every 
day, on soft ground, as exercise is beneficial. Have a pair of wide 
web concave shoes tacked on loosely so as to protect the bot- 
toms of the feet. If. after you have carried out the above 
treatment for ten days or two weeks, and there is still lameness, 
then don't put the horse in the water any more, but apply our 
Spavin Cure (see Appendix) well around the feet in the hair 
above the hoofs. This will draw out the remaining soreness and 
limber the horse up all right. If the above treatment is prop- 
erly carried out, nine out of every ten cases of founder can be 
cured sound and well. 



234 Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 

Old chronic cases of founder may be relieved by taking off the 
shoes and paring down the feet and standing the horse in water 
to his ankles five or six hours a day for fifteen or twenty days. 
Then blister the feet in the hair just above the hoofs well with 
our Spavin Cure. After blistering oil the whole foot well every 
day or two for two or three weeks with raw linseed oil or sweet 
oil. 

SEEDY-TOE. 

The term seedy-toe has been applied to a peculiar condition 
of the horn of the toe, which is rendered soft and crumbling. 

Causes. — It may be due to an hereditary predisposition, the use 
of too large toe-clips, or to any irritation causing impaired secre- 
tion or interfering with the nutrition of the horn at the toe. It 
may not in all cases cause lameness, but is, nevertheless, an un- 
soundness. 

Treatment. — Eemove the shoe and cut down the toe, removing 
all the diseased horn. Keep the hoof moist with poultices, and 
then apply a good blister to the coronet to stimulate the growth 
of new horn. Continue the poultices, fomentations, etc., and if 
the sensitive structures are exposed and much irritation exists, 
the opening should be closed by pledgets of cotton saturated with 
any of the preparations of tar. 

BRUISE OF THE SENSITIVE SOLE. 

Causes. — It may be caused by stepping on a rock or other hard 
substances while traveling rapidly, or by a shoe upon a naturally 
thin sole, or a sole that has been cut down too much. 



De. LeGteak's Stock Book. 



235 



Symptoms.— The indications are lameness, heat in the part, 
and on tapping or pinching the parts the animal flinches, etc. 

. Treatment. — Remove the shoe, pare down the sole to a certain 
extent, and apply a poultice of flaxseed meal for two days. Ap- 
plications of hot or cold water will be useful in allaying any swel- 
ling or irritation. 



CORNS. 

A corn is a bruise of the sensitive sole in the angle of the heel. 
Corns are of more frequent occurrence in the front feet, and are 
nearly always found on the inner side. There are three kinds of 
corns — hard, soft, and suppurating. The latter is by far the 
most serious, as pus is formed, and unless allowed to escape will 
cause serious trouble. (See Fig. 50.) 

Causes. — Improper shoeing is very often the cause of corns, 
but horses running on the range may have corns. A bruise in 

the angle of the heel, from what- 
ever cause, is liable to cause corns. 

Symptoms. — The animal is 
more or less lame, especially when 
he is trotting. There is a certain 
amount of heat over the parts. On 
squeezing the foot with a pair of 
forceps, or tapping the parts with 
a light hammer, the animal will 
evince pain. By paring out the 
sole over the seat of the corn red- 
ness may be seen, and if it is a suppurating corn matter will be 
found if cnl out deep enough. 
16 




Fin. 50. A Corn. 



236 



I)k. LeGeak's Stock Book. 



Treatment. — Remove the shoe, and having decided that a corn 
is present, cut or pare down carefully, using a suitable knife. 
(Fig. 51.) When the corn is reached, the pus. if any be present 
should be allowed to escape and the cavity cleansed out with Dr. 
LeG-ears Healing Lotion. (See Appendix.) The heel should be 
cut down so as to take all pressure from the affected parts. Put 
a poultice on the foot, and give a few days" rest: afterwards put 
on either a bar shoe or a three-quarter shoe, either one of which 
will take the pressure from the corn. Change the shoes every 
four weeks and keep the corn well pared out and the horse will 
travel without much trouble. 




Fig. 51. Hoof Knife. 



GRAVEL IX THE FOOT. 



Whenever a small stone gets into a horse's foot, either through 
a wound or works into a crevice in the sole or frog up into the 
quick, it is called •"gravel." Some people attribute any matter 
breaking at the top of the hoof to gravel, which in many cases 
is merely matter working out from the effects of a bruise of the 
sole or a corn. If a gravel gets into the foot, and is small enough. 
it will finally work out at the top of the hoof. The horse is gen- 
erally lame while it is in the foot, but will get over it as soon as 
it comes out. 



Treatment. — If any soreness in the foot can be found it should 
be pared down, and if any matter or a gravel is found it should be 
removed and the cavity washed out for a few days with our Heal- 
ing Lotion (see Appendix), and the hole protected from all dirt, 
and it will soon heal. 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 237 



NAIL IN THE FOOT. 

This is a very common occurrence, and though trivial as it 
seems, at times causes very serious trouble. Unless it penetrates 
through the sole or frog it never causes any inconvenience. If 
the nail penetrates the coffin-joint, or injures the bone or ten- 
don, ver} T serious symptoms are presented. When the joint is 
injured it causes the most painful and serious injury to which 
the foot is liable. Sometimes a nail enters the foot one or two 
inches and very little lameness is shown afterwards. 

Symptoms. — It is by no means a very easy thing in all cases to 
detect a nail in a horse's foot, hence a very close and thorough 
examination should be made in all cases, or mistakes in diagnosis 
will be very liable to occur. We have known cases where a horse 
had a nail in his foot, and the owner would blister his hip or 
shoulders, thinking he had hip or shoulder lameness. In a ma- 
jority of cases the nail comes out of itself, which is one reason 
why we are liable to think the soreness wasn't in the foot. Heat 
may be felt in the foot above the hoof. In all cases of suspected 
.foot lameness the foot should be gently tapped with a light ham- 
mer, and if there is much soreness in the foot the horse will 
flinch and show signs of pain. It is by the hole closing up after 
the nail comes out, and the matter that forms not being able to 
escape, that causes the severe pain and lameness. Other objects, 
such as screws, broken glass, tacks, etc., may penetrate the foot 
and cause the same trouble that a nail does. Lockjaw is very 
frequently caused hy nails penetrating the feet of horses; the 
nails being dirty and rusty, carry the germs of the disease into 
the foot, where they get into the circulation. If by tapping the 
foot, pain is evinced, the shoe should be taken off and the foot 
pared down to discover a nail hole if possible. 



238 Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 

Treatment. — Having found the nail or whatever it may be, it 
should be removed at once, and the hole enlarged somewhat to 
allow a free escape of any pns that may form. The hole may be 
filled with turpentine, or a solution of carbolic acid, or still bet- 
ter, our Healing Lotion (see Appendix), and plugged with cot- 
ton to keep out the dirt. If the hole is found filled up, it should 
be well opened and cleaned out, and a warm poultice of equal 
parts of wheat bran and linseed meal be tied on the whole foot, 
and changed every six hours until four or five poultices have been 
applied. While the poultice is off, keep the hole plugged with 
cotton saturated with our Healing Lotion. While you are not 
poulticing, the cotton should be changed every day and the 
wound dressed nicely. Keep the horse in a dry, clean place until 
the sore heals up. Give rest and a laxative diet. Close attention 
and thorough cleanliness will often ward off an attack of lockjaw, 

QUITTOK. 

A quittor is a running sore at the top of the hoof, extending 
down inside of the hoof, sometimes penetrating deeply and in- 
volving the bone. 

Causes. — Pus occurring in the foot, from any cause whatever, 
may result in quittor, for the reason that the pus, being unable to 
escape, extends in various directions, destroying the tissues in 
its course, increases in quantity, until, finally reaching the top of 
the hoof, it bursts forth, making an outlet for itself and form- 
ing a running sore, when it becomes known as a quittor. Nail in 
the foot, suppurating corns, or pricks from being shod, may all 
run into quittor by the matter being unable to get out the bot- 
tom of the foot. A gravel will sometimes work out the top of the- 
hoof and form a quittor. 



Dk. LeGeak's Stock Book. 239 

Symptoms. — The animal becomes very lame, and on examining 
the foot a hard swelling will be found at the top of the hoof, 
which becomes soft in a day or two and bursts and runs pns. 
A hole remains which does not heal. Sometimes two or three 
holes are formed, and then it is a very serious thing. Very fre- 
quently matter will burst out at the top of the hoof, and in a 
day or two will all heal up. Such a case is not a quittor. 

Treatment. — Quittor when once well established is very hard to 
cure. Remove the shoe and thin down the sole and try and let 
the matter out at the bottom by free drainage. Inject a little of 
the following solution into the opening: Corrosive sublimate 1 
dram, alcohol 2 ounces. Dissect away all the diseased portions 
above the hoof and cauterize it with a hot iron. In a bad case 
of quittor a qualified veterinary surgeon should be employed. 
Treatment is so difficult and uncertain that the average horse 
owner will not make much headway in the treatment of quittor. 

THBTTSH. 

Thrush is a disease of the horse's foot, shown by a very bad 
smelling, dark-colored matter coming from the cleft of the frog. 

Causes. — The most common cause of thrush is the filthy con- 
dition of the stable or lot in which the horse is kept. A sudden 
change from dryness to excessive moisture may cause the disease. 
Muddy streets and roads, especially where mineral substances are 
plentiful, cause the disease. Contracted heels, scratches and nav- 
icular disease predispose to thrush. 

Symptoms. — There is a discharge of a yellowish or dark-col- 
ored matter from the cleft of the frog. This matter has a very 
offensive smell, and if once smelled will always be remembered. 



240 Dk. LeGear's Stock Book. 

There may be some tenderness, but it is seldom that the disease 
causes lameness. 

Treatment. — If the. animal is standing in filth or mud, remove 
him to a clean, dry place. Trim off all diseased and ragged portions 
of the frog and wash all dirt and filth thoroughly from the whole 
foot and apply a linseed or wheat bran poultice to the affected 
parts for one or two days. Add a little carbolic acid to the poul- 
tice to remove the bad smell. After removing poultice, clean out 
the cleft of the frog and pour in a little peroxide of hydrogen 
twice a day and pack a piece of cotton well into the frog to retain 
the medicine and keep out dirt. Calomel dusted into the frog 
once a day and retained in it by a little cotton is a good remedy. 

CAXKEE. 

Canker is a cancerous-looking fungoid growth in connection 
with the frog or heel of the horse's foot. 

Causes. — This disease is seen more frequently in heavy draft 
horses. The essential cause of canker is the presence of a vege- 
table parasite, which gains access to the foot of the horse by 
standing in filthy stalls and stables. It may also follow thrush, 
grease, or cracked heels. 

Symptoms. — There is a soft, spongy, unhealthy looking growth 
in connection with some part of the frog or heel of the foot. On 
being cut it bleeds very freely, and there is generally a mattery 
discharge of a very offensive odor. The growth may extend and 
involve the whole sole and frog, and the horse is more or less 
lame. 

Treatment. — The treatment of cankers is tedious, and not very 
successful, it being in all cases difficult to cure. Unless in a valu- 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 



241 



able animal we wouldn't advise treatment, as it will take more 
time and expense than the animal is worth, and then you are 
liable to fail in your efforts. If treatment is advisable, cut away 
all diseased parts you can with a sharp knife, and cauterize it 
with a hot iron to stop the blood and destroy what remaining 
portions of the disease you can. Keep the foot as clean as pos- 
sible and apply equal parts of powdered charcoal and calomel 
twice per day. A weak solution of carbolic acid may be bene- 
ficial. Give in the feed 2 tablespoonsful of Fowler's Solution of 
Arsenic once a day for two or three weeks. 

SAXD-CEACK. 



A sand-crack is a fissure or crack in the wall of the hoof. 

These cracks may exist in any part of the wall, and receive vari- 
ous names, according to their loca- 
tion. Thus a crack in the front part 
of the hoof is called a centre-crack 
or toe crack, and one at the quarter 
a quarter-crack. (Fig. 52.) The 
crack may extend part way or all the 
way from top to bottom. Some 
cracks begin at the top and extend 
downward, while others begin at 
the bottom and work up. The 
former are much more severe. A 

crack beginning at the bottom and extending up a short distance 

seldom if ever causes any trouble. 




Fig. 52. Quarter- Crack. 



Causes. — Horses Inning thin, brittle hoots, and being driven 
om hard roads in dry weather, are liable to have sand-cranks. 
They arc \cry common among trotting and running horses by 
being worked so fast on hard tracks. Shoeing with high heels 
and toe calk- may cause sand-cracks. Horses standing on hard, 



242 Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 

dry floors, with no care being taken of the feet, are liable to 
have the trouble. Every horse that is worked or ridden during 
the dry summer should be stood in water for an hour at a time 
two or three times a week. This cools out the feet and keeps the 
hoofs moist, pliable and healthy. 

Symptoms. — The crack can generally be plainly seen, but at 
first it may be very small, but still cause lameness. The crack 
may be very small and just beginning at the top, but it is sore 
and painful, and causes blood to ooze out. A toe-crack in the 
hind foot is generally a very serious trouble. Dishonest traders 
or dealers sometimes fill up the crack with tar, hoof ointment, 
guttapercha, etc., or walk a horse through the mud to conceal 
the crack before trading. A horse may have an extensive toe- 
crack or quarter-crack and not be lame at all. It constitutes an 
unsoundness, and should be looked upon with suspicion. 

Treatment. — Give the animal rest, pare the foot under the 
crack, and put on a shoe to take pressure off the affected quarter 
or part of the toe. There are several forms of treatment used in 
this trouble, all of which are very good if properly carried out. 
The form of treatment we prefer is to take out a piece of the 
hoof the shape of the leter Y with the base upwards, and right 
at the top border of the hoof and the point comes into the crack. 
Have each side of this letter V about one inch long. By taking 
out a piece of the hoof right across where the crack begins will 
let the hoof grow solid when it grows in. A good blister of our 
Spavin Cure should be applied in the hair just above where the 
crack w^as after operating on it, to stimulate a more strong and 
healthy growth of hoof. After blistering, grease well every day 
with sweet oil. Keep the horse quiet for a couple of weeks dur- 
ing treatment, and then turn him to grass for two or three 
months, when a cure is generally complete. Another form of 
treatment is to put on a nice, light brass plate or clinch to pre- 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 



243 



vent motion in the parts. A small cotton rope may be wound 
around the hoof from top to bottom very tightly, and then paint 
it with tar, and turn the horse on pasture for a couple of months. 
Sometimes a nail can be expertly driven through the edffes of the 
crack to hold it together. 

COFFIN-JOINT LAMENESS. 



This disease is more properly known as "Navicular Disease/" 
as the little navicular bone is the part mostly affected. (See Fig. 

53.) The flexor tendon and 
bursa of the joint are also 
diseased in most of cases, but 
the disease more frequently 
begins in the bone. It is 
estimated that this disease 
is the cause of a majority of 
all serious and obscure lame- 
ness in the front feet of 
horses, and if neglected or 
not properly treated for three 
or six months, it becomes in- 
curable by certain changes 
taking place in the parts. 




Fig. 53. Navicular Disease. 



Causes. — The most frequent cause of coffin-joint lameness is 
hard and fast work on hard roads, and sprains of the joint. In 
some cases the disease is produced suddenly, as by a severe sprain, 
and at other times it comes on very gradually. The disease is 
seen more frequently in certain breeds of horses, as those having 
straight, upright pasterns and a pounding action while traveling. 
One or botli front feet may be affected, but it rarely ever occurs in 
the hind feet. The disease may be caused by nails piercing 
through the frog and injuring the flexor tendon or the coffin- 



244 De. LeCtEak's Stock Book. 

joint. Improper shoeing is undoubtedly a very frequent cause 
of coffin-joint lameness. This is brought about by raising or 
lowering the heels too much, allowing the toe to grow too long, 
or any cause of changing the proper adjustment of the foot, etc. 
The frog is nature's great cushion or support to the foot, and 
when it is removed from the ground by paring or by high-heeled 
shoes, the foot is then far more liable to diseases of various 
kinds. The frog should be allowed to come on the ground, as 
nature intended" it should. 

Symptoms. — This disease in most of cases comes on very grad- 
ually. The horse is noticed slightly lame, or a little tender, for 
one, two, or three days or a week, when it will disappear as 
mysteriously as it came. In a few weeks the lameness returns, 
but will be a little worse, and last a few days longer than the first 
attack. It may continue to appear and disappear for three or 
four attacks, when it is liable to come to stay. The horse points 
the foot — that is, places it out in front of the other — and con- 
traction may or may not be present. After a time contraction of 
the heel, wasting of the frog, and in fact the whole foot gets 
smaller than the healthy one. When both front feet are affected 
the animal will first point one and then the other. By placing 
the foot out in front it takes the strain off the flexor tendon and 
the navicular bone, thus giving relief. The wall of the foot gets 
hard, smooth, and glassy, and not rough and in ridges as in 
founder. The animal has a tendency to stumble and wears the 
toe of the shoe off first. The soreness of this disease is in the 
heel, and the animal tries to bring his toe to the ground first, 
while founder affects principally the toe of the foot, and the ani- 
mal tries to get relief by standing and walking on its heels. If 
this disease is caused by a severe sprain or by an injury, the 
symptoms will be more suddenly developed. He may improve 
after a few days, and then take worse and run much the same 
course as that described above. The advancement this disease 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 24fr 

makes depends a great deal on the kind of work an animal has 
to do. If nsed regularly on hard roads, the}- will as a general 
thing get so lame they are useless in a few months; while for 
farm work they may go on and work tolerably well for years. 
When both front feet are affected about alike, an animal can't 
limp, but will have a peculiar short step, called "groggy action/' 

Treatment. — The curative treatment of this disease, unless 
taken in the early stages, is almost useless. There are certain 
changes that take place in connection with the navicular bone 
and flexor tendon that can not be rectified when once established. 
So many horsemen and would-be horse doctors locate every ob- 
scure lameness a horse has in front, in the shoulders, and put 
the poor brute to unnecessary suffering by blistering, burning, 
seatoning, etc., the shoulder, when invariably the lameness is 
in the foot. In shoulder lameness the animal has difficulty in 
picking up the foot and bringing it forward, but if the soreness 
is below the knee he will have no trouble in this respect. A horse 
affected in both feet does look, to an ordinary observer, as though 
it might be in the shoulders, by the animal being so stiff, but this 
is brought about by the animal trying to keep both feet on the 
ground all the time; therefore he steps very short. When the 
disease is first detected the animal should be laid off from ail 
work, the shoe removed, and the foot at the toe pared down, and 
a shoe with slightly thickened heels put on to tip the foot slight- 
ly forward. Then place the foot in a warm water bath. Provide 
a tub or box, into which put about eight inches of water as warm 
as the hand will stand, and keep it at about the same temperature 
by adding hot water occasionally. Stand the horse in the water 
for two hours at a time twice a day for one week or ten days. If 
the fever and soreness seem to be pretty well gone by that time, 
then apply a good blister, using our Spavin Cure (see Appendix) 
well rubbed into the heels and quarters. This form of treatment 
thoroughly carried out at the beginning of the disease may form 



246 Dr. LeGeae's Stock Book. 

a cure. In place of the hot water "bath, warm bran poultices may 
be kept on the feet several hours a day. After the disease is well 
established the above treatment will only relieve and not cure it. 
When the disease becomes incurable, all we can do is to relieve 
the animal by certain forms of shoeing, keeping the foot soft by 
bathing, or by nerving the foot. Apply either a bar shoe with 
slightly thickened heels, or a light, plain shoe with a small heel 
salk, to raise the heels slightly. (See Figs. 4 and 5, Plate 
VI., special shoes, page 254.) During the dry summer weather 
stand the horse either in a mud or water bath to his ankles three 
or four times a week for an hour at a time, and blister the quarters 
and heels once a month with our Spavin Cure. After the animal 
gets so lame he is useless for the work he is intended to do, th^n 
the only relief for him is bv performing the operation of neurot- 
omy (nerving), which is done by cutting a small hole just above 
the ankle on each side and removing a portion of the nerve. It 
is advisable to perform this operation only in animals that 
have good, strong feet. Xo matter how sore the foot is, the ani- 
mal will not limp after the operation is performed, as there is no 
feeling left in the foot. By being careful what kind of feet we 
operate on, we have had good success with this operation. In 
some cases the animal will go on and do its regular work for 
years without laming at all. This operation, although not suc- 
cessful in all cases, is in some cases an act of mercy to perform, 
-as it instantly relieves all pain from the poor sufferer's foot. As 
this is a particular operation, we wouldn't advise any one but a 
qualified veterinary surgeon to perform it, as he can judge 
whether the operation is advisable, and is competent of perform- 
it if necessary. 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 247 

CHAPTER XVIII. 
HORSESHOEING. 

History tells us that the Eomans made horseshoes and used 
them on their horses about the eleventh and twelfth centuries. 
The first shoe consisted of a thin plate, with a rim around the 
outside, which covered the whole ground surface of the foot. 
Around the outside of this plate rings or loops were fastened, 
through which small ropes were drawn, and in this way the shoe 
was fastened to the hoof and pastern. This mode of fastening 
became unsatisfactory, and a substitute was found in the so-called 
"Asiatic cap iron sole," which was also made of a plate of iron 
covering the whole sole, with a rim around the outside of it about 
one-half inch in height, and upon this rim, on both sides of the 
shoe, rose three beak-like projections about one inch high, which 
were fastened into the wall of the hoof in the form of a hook. 
This mode of fastening also being insufficient, fastening of the 
shoes by nails, as at the present time, was adopted. The iron 
plates with rims were too thin to allow nails with sunken heads 
to be used, so nails with cubical shaped heads were used. A shoe 
containing a groove made its appearance first in Germany in the 
fifteenth century, and from this time, as far as we know, ceases 
the period of the Roman horseshoe. Its influence, however, has 
even remained until our present day. The science of horseshoe- 
ing at the present time is a question of vast importance, not only 
to mechanics, but to every thinking mind. It is not fully real- 
ized the amount of injury being done by poor horseshoeing. The 
art of farriery is a branch of science which is very valuable to the 
public. The public ought to support the educated farrier, one 
who has studied the anatomy of the horse's hoof, is progressive, 
skilled in his profession, and no other. Practical and scientific 



•248 



Dr. LeGeab's Stock Book. 



horseshoeing is what is needed at the present time, more so than 
ever "before. 

THE FOOT. 



Preparing the foot for the shoe is of the greatest practical 
importance in the farrier's art. This is one of the first tilings he 
must learn to do. and it takes considerable time, study, and prac- 
tice to learn how to do it prop- 
erly. It is advisable at first to 
get a dead foot, dissect it, and 
study its anatomy before prac- 
ticing on the living animal, as 
most beginners do. You will 
find the anatomy of a horse's 
foot an interesting study, and 
time spent studying it will not 
be time lost. The structure 
learned, you will know where to 
cut and where to stop cutting 
in the preparation of the foot 
for the shoe. All extra growth 
of wall and sole should be care- 
fully removed by cutting or 
rasping it down to its natural 
size. (Fig. 54.) Use a great deal of judgment in doing this, as 
there are scarcely two feet alike. Some grow fast, while others 
grow slow; some are high-heeled, and some low; some have thick, 
concave soles, while others are thin and flat. Flat-footed horses 
have thin soles, while club feet, etc., have the opposite. A good 
rule to go by is to pare down the foot until you come to what 
may be called the "white line," or union of sole and wall. All 
the horn removed in cutting down to this white line is extra 
growth and should be cut away. In flat feet little paring is 




Fig. 54. The Foot, ready for the shoe, 
showing the frog and bars as they 
should be left. 



De. LeGear's Stock Book. 249 

necessary, which are seldom afflicted with contraction, while 
the strong foot is very prone to contraction, and needs consider- 
able paring to prepare it for the shoe. After paring down to the 
union of sole and wall, care must be taken to leave the foot a per- 
fect level — a dead level fore and aft and from side to side. A 
foot may be perfectly level on the bottom and yet not be properly 
balanced. That the angle of the wall varies in different horses 
is a fact known to all horseshoers. What that angle should 
be must be determined by a lateral survey of the foot and limb, 
so as to have the strain or weight equally divided. Step in front 
or behind the animal and note if the limb tilts in or out. If it 
does, the hoof is not level on the ground surface, and must be 
made level and well balanced before the shoe is applied. If this 
levelling and balancing can not be properly done with the eye 
alone, a compass for the purpose may be of considerable service 
in fitting the foot for the shoe. 

The object of the frog of the foot is to break concussion, and 
when in a healthy state should never be touched with a knife, 
except to pare away the ragged edges, etc. Prof. David Roberge 
says: "My opinion is that when the dead level of the foot and its 
perfect balance in all directions is fully understood and gen- 
erally practiced, we shall hear of greater speed and capacity for 
endurance among racing and trotting horses than we have yet 
witnessed; that there will be physical and mental developments 
in horses not dreamed of in the common- philosophy; that lame- 
ness will virtually become a reminiscence; horses will enjoy bet- 
ter health and condition; people who own horses will have less 
plagues and losses from such property, and as a consequence 
more pleasure and gains; and though last in the list, not the least 
important result will be a higher respect for horseshoeing as an 
art — for it must needs be through the instrumentality of im- 
proved horseshoeing that these benefits can ever be brought 
about." 



250 Db. LeGear's Stock Book. 



THE SHOE. 

The shoe will depend somewhat upon the weight and size of 
the animal and the nature of the work he has to perform. Draft 
horses, of course, usually require heavy shoes with calks attached, 
while driving horses need only light plates. In all cases, make 
the shoes as light as the nature of the animal's work will admit 
of. The only mission of the shoe is to prevent undue wear of the 
walls, and a light one will do this quite as well as a heavy one; 
it is erroneous to think that a heavy shoe in all cases will wear 
longer than a light one. This is even true with reference to our 
heavy draft horses. Let the shoe be of good length, perfectly 
level on the bearing surface to correspond to the prepared foot, 
and of a weight to suit the animal; as horses of same size require 
shoes of different weight. The fore shoes may vary in weight 
from ten to twenty ounces; the hind ones from eight to twelve 
ounces, according to the size and requirements of the animal. In 
cases of deformity, lameness, etc., good results are obtainable 
from mechanical means, but all such cases should be under the 
supervision of a qualified veterinary surgeon. In France expan- 
sion of the hoof by mechanical means (Fig. 48, p. 230) is advo- 
cated and practiced more than anywhere else. They are bene- 
ficial, no doubt, in many cases of contracted feet, but there is a 
far more simple, safe, and effective means of attaining that end., 
explained in the treatment for contraction. 

It would seem unnecessary to say that the shoe should be so 
shaped as to fit the foot, and not the foot to fit the shoe, as is 
so generally practiced. Of course it is much easier to make the 
foot to fit the shoe than it is to make the shoe to fit the foot, but 
such an excuse is a lazy one on the part of the shoer. The rasp 
should never be used on the outside of the wall, as by doing so 
you remove the crust which forms a protection to the hoof. If 
the shoe is properly fitted, a touch of the rasp under each clinch 




Right fitting. (/,) 




Whmg fittutg. (JL d 




17 



Plate V. FITTING THE SHOE. 



[p. 251] 



252 Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 

would be all that is necessary, and even this much might be dis- 
pensed with. Plate Y., Figs. 1 and 2, will give you an idea of 
correct and incorrect fitting. 

FITTIXG. 

There is what is called hot fitting and cold fitting, either of 
which being practiced more or less in different countries, cli- 
mates, etc., according to the objects desired. Systematic experi- 
ments a few years ago in regard to hot and cold fitting proved 
that hot fitting gave the best results. These experiments were 
carried on in the old country in conection with cavalry horses, 
where the climate is moist, etc. The advantage of hot fitting 
consists in the fact that complete contact between the hoof and 
the shoe can thus be more readily obtained than by any other 
method; also, the shoes can be made to stay on better and 
longer, especially in moist climates. Our climate being dry and 
hot most of the year, cold fitting proves the more satisfactory and 
is in general use. As a general thing, in our country, the shoes 
are usually allowed to remain on too long, especially in the agri- 
cultural districts. We are acquainted with the fact that if the shoer 
fails in certain custom work to make the shoes stay on for sev- 
eral months, his employer would be dissatisfied and would trans- 
fer his work elsewhere. Such conduct could not be more short- 
sighted nor more unreasonable. As the horse's foot grows out, 
it becomes too large on the bottom for the shoe, which should 
not be left on over a month, or six weeks at the very longest; 
many animals require to be shod even more frequently. A badly 
fitting shoe is to a horse as painful as a tight boot is to his owner. 
The practice of leaving the shoes on too long is a penny-wise 
and pound-foolish policy. 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 253 



FAILS. 

The following old adage is quite a compliment to the horse- 
shoe nail: 

" For the want of a nail "the shoe was lost; 
For the want of a shoe the horse was lost; 
For the want of a horse the rider was lost; 
And all for the want of a horseshoe nail." 

The fewest nails, and those of the smallest size that will hold 
the shoe on the proper length of time, is a good rale to follow. 
The nail holes should not be punched too near the outside edge 
of the web of the shoe — a very common failing of "keg shoes." 
Two of the commonest errors in shoeing are, using too many 
nails, and these of too large a size, and then driving them up 
too high into the walls. If the foot has been properly pared and 
a perfectly level bearing secured, it is astonishing how few and 
how small nails will hold the shoe firmly in its place; but if the 
fitting has been carelessly done, no matter how the shoe may be 
nailed on, but a short time will elapse before the shoe works 
loose. If we could do away with nails altogether, it would be a 
good thing for our horse's feet. This, however, we can not do at 
present, and will continue to use nails, which have stood the test 
so long, until something better is invented. Nailless horse- 
shoes have been invented and patented of late, but don't seem to 
come into general use. We have been unable to see and examine 
any of these shoes, so can't speak of their merits. 

The "Charlier shoe," invented some years ago by a veterinary 
surgeon of Paris, France, is no doubt a shoe that has not received 
the attention that it should. In writing of this shoe, William 
Dickson says: "I have used both the Charlier shoe and the tip in 
this country as well as in the East Indies, and I am perfectly 







50 

O 
W 

GO 
i— i 

o 

8 

so 



< 

04 





3 

ft 







Plate VII. SPECIAL SHOES. 



[p. 255| 



256 Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 

satisfied that in many respects they are superior to any other 
model. They are infinitely lighter, the nails are smaller and 
fewer in number — all steps in the right direction; but the domi- 
nant superiority of the device consists in the fact that the frog 
obtains pressure to the extent contemplated by nature, and in 
the case of the Charlier tip particularly, the exercise of its double 
function as a buffer and dilator is absolutely untrammeled by 
the shoe." (See Fig. 3, Plate V.) 



FINISHING, ETC. 

When the shoes have been fitted, the nails driven, drawn up, 
and clinched, see that nothing is left undone. It frequently hap- 
pens, however, at this stage that the incompetent workman in- 
flicts serious and lasting injury on the foot. If the wall has not 
been sufficiently reduced in leveling the foot, or if the shoe used 
is too small, the rasp is required to reduce the projecting parts. 
While in some cases the whole outside surface of the wall is 
rasped and smoothed off. Such finishing touches are very hurt- 
ful to the foot, and should never be practiced. Covering the 
whole outside wall of the foot, from the coronet to the sole level, 
is a thin protective membrane or crust, which should never be 
destroyed. Rasping this protective covering away robs the foot 
of natural protection, moisture, secretion, etc. 

SHOEING FOR A SPECIFIC PURPOSE. 

There are many styles of shoes, the product of American in- 
genuity, for the purpose of mitigating or overcoming certain de- 
fects, such as interfering, forging, stumbling, etc. Shoeing for 
a specific purpose has made greater progress in America than in 
any other country on the face of the globe. The styles of shoes 
invented for this purpose are without number, and many of 
them are well adapted for the purpose of overcoming faulty gait 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 257 

and uneven action. Many, however, are only applicable to horses 
used solely for speed, and in a treatise of this kind an attempt at 
classification would be out of the question. We will endeavor, 
however, to lay down a few rules to go by in shoeing horses for 
certain defects met with in nearly every day practice. 

As a majority of these troubles are due to an unbalanced action 
caused by an unbalanced foot, the one and all-important point 
is to see that the foot is perfectly level and properly balanced; 
and as a general thing the horse will travel all right. If you fail 
to make him go sound by this process, other means (mechanical) 
must be employed. 

OVERREACH, OR FORGING. 

This is where the shoe of the hind foot strikes and injures the 
heel or quarter of the fore foot. It is common in trotting and 
running horses, or horses that do fast work. The parts injured 
are usually the outside heels and quarters. 

Treatment. — As a general thing, a horse that forges is not 
properly balanced in build. If he has a low, gliding gait behind, 
place a. heavier shoe on behind than in front, which will have a 
tendency to slow his action behind, and allow the fore feet time 
to get out of the way. Give such a horse a long toe behind, and a 
full heel to the shoe. Tight reining in some cases may stop 
forging. Another mode of shoeing is to leave the toes long on 
the front feet, and raise the heels of the hind feet. With many 
horses this last method will answer, while in other cases nearly 
the opposite will be necessaiw, as long toes behind with no heels, 
and high quarter rolling motion shoes to the fore feet. It will 
be seen from this that what will do in one case tails in another. 
Make the shoes as light as possible. If the injury is slight, use 
(•old water bandages for a few days. If the parts are deeply cut, 



258 De. LeGeab's Stock Book. 

it is well to poultice the parts for a day or two, after which 
apply our Healing Lotion (see Appendix) and put on a roller 
bandage. 

INTERFEEIKG. 

Interfering in animals is where one foot strikes the opposite 
leg, as it passes by, while traveling. The inner surface of the fet- 
lock joint is usually the part injured, and is seen more often in 
the hind than in the fore legs. 

Causes. — The principal causes are faulty conformation, allow- 
the feet to grow too long, improper shoeing, weakness from ex- 
haustive labor, etc. 

Treatment. — It may in some cases be difficult to overcome. 

See that the foot is perfectly level and properly balanced be- 
fore nailing on the shoe. If this does not stop it, lower the 
inside quarter by rasping down the wall, and then put on the 
shoe; or weight the shoe on the outside web, to widen his action. 
(Fig. 2. Plate VII.) Bear in mind that what will overcome inter- 
fering in one animal will not in another. So the success of the 
horseshoer will depend much upon the horse's construction. A 
glance from the front or rear, or from the side, will tell the 
man of experience why the horse strikes, or if he is likely to. 
In very stubborn cases let a natural angle of the foot be ob- 
tained, and adjust a tip, which will give the horse the most nat- 
ural footing. Light shoes are the best in every case to prevent 
interfering, for they will serve to give the horse confidence, 
which weight frequently destroys. 

When the injury produced by interfering is made on the in- 
side of the fore leg, just below the knee, it is called "speedy cut," 
and requires about the same treatment as for any ordinary wound 
in the same region. 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 259 



STUMBLING. 

Stumbling is not at all uncommon among certain horses of 
faulty conformation, and in many cases is a serious trouble. It 
may be produced by straight shoulders, short, upright pasterns, 
high heels, and carrying the head low. 

Treatment. — It may be overcome by certain kinds of shoeing. 
Xo doubt a rolling motion shoe will prevent tripping and stum- 
bling in more cases than any other kind of shoe. If a full roller 
shoe is not suitable for the horse, shorten the toe of the foot and 
give the toe of the shoe a good roll. If the above shoe is properly 
made, and the foot placed on the natural angle, the worst cases 
can be prevented, 



260 Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 

CHAPTER XIX. 
CONTAGIOUS DISEASES. 

GLANDERS AND FARCY. 

Glanders and its external form designated as farcy, has been 
known from early antiquity. Probably no contagious disease of 
the horse is so widely spread, there being but one country — Aus- 
tralia — so far as we can learn, in which the horse is said to be 
wholly free from the disease. Its prevalence in various countries 
varies greatly, however, and there are also great variations in the 
prevalence of the disease in the same country at different periods. 
It affects not only the horse, but spreads by contact directly or 
indirectly to the ass, mule, and other solid hoofed animals, and 
to man. Sheep, goats, and pigs may have the disease, but cat- 
tle will resist it entirely. 

Scientific investigations in all parts of the world have proven 
that the two complaints are only different manifestations of one 
and the same disease. This has been shown time and again 
through inoculating animals with either the discharge from the 
nose of a glandered horse or with the matter from a farcy ulcer, 
and having either or both forms of the disease produced. The 
term glanders is applied to the disease when the interior of the 
nose, the lungs or other portions of the organs of respiration are 
affected, while the term farcy is used when superficial parts, the 
skin, etc., of the body are invaded. Eminent investigators have 
definitely established the fact that glanders is a specific con- 
tagious disease, due solely to the glanders bacillus, and that the 
disease is incapable of spontaneous generation, but must at all 
times depend upon the presence of the bacilli, which in turn 
must be derived from the parent bacilli of the same kind. 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 261 

Causes. — The cause of glanders and farcy, as has already been 
stated, is a living organism belonging to the group known gen- 
erally as bacteria, under the specific name of bacillus malleus, or 
glanders bacillus. But even supposing the bacillus mallei is the 
direct cause of the complaint, we must not forget that im- 
proper sanitary surroundings and any weakening, debilitating 
disease, such as influenza, distemper, catarrhal fever, lung fever, 
etc., are important factors in the production of the disease by 
weakening the animal body and making it very liable to become 
affected with the disease if exposed to the contagion. The germs 
outside the body retain their lif e and vitality under ordinary con- 
ditions in a moderately dry state for four or five months, al- 
though when exposed freely to very dry air with sunlight they 
probably perish in a few days, and when in water and decom- 
posing fluids they perish in two or three weeks. On the other 
hand, when large quantities of glanders matter is thickly smeared 
or spread over stalls or mangers in stables where it is protected 
from rain and in a measure from light and the deeper parts well 
excluded from the air the germs seem to retain their vitality for 
a year or more. The germs are usually spread through care- 
less stable attendants, through public watering troughs, and by 
the matter discharged drying upon harness, blankets and the like, 
for after it dries it is readily distributed by currents of air, and 
this dust, if exposed to a certain degree of heat and moisture, will 
grow and produce the disease upon susceptible animals with tol- 
erable certainty, if it gets into the interior of their economy. 

Period of Incubation. — The period of incubation in the acute 
form of glanders is short, the disease usually appearing in from 
four to seven days from the time of exposure, while the chronic 
form may appear any time in from seven to eight days up l;o 
two or three months from the time the animal was exposed to 
the contagious influence. 



"262 De. LeGtEak's Stock Book. 

Symptoms. — The disease is most frequently seen in the chronic 
form, there being a discharge from the nostrils which varies in 
appearance and can not he considered as characteristic; it may 
either sink in water or float on the surface; usually is somewhat 
viscid and adheres around the nostrils; may be thin and almost 
clear and small in amount, or thicker and yellowish with or with- 
out odor. The discharge may be from both nostrils, or from 
only one, either right or left. Glanders may be, and not infre- 
quently is, confounded with other affections somewhat resem- 
bling it in some of its symptoms, especially those diseases in 
which nasal discharge constitute a prominent feature, such as 
nasal gleet, strangles, pink-eye, acute and chronic nasal catarrh, 
infectious and epizootic catarrhal fever, disease of the facial 
sinuses, diseased teeth, tumors in nostrils, etc. The most char- 
acteristic symptoms of glanders is the occurrence of ulcers on 
the partitions between the nostrils, but they are absent, per- 
haps, in a majority of cases, or situated so high up as to be out 
of sight. The glands beneath the jaws (sub-maxillary lymphatic 
glands) become enlarged and hardened, and may or may not be 
attached to the bone. Discharge from the nose and enlarge- 
ment of the sub-maxillary glands are nearly always present, but 
in many cases there may be, for a long time, no other symptoms 
presented, and such cases can not be diagnosed by mere physical 
examination, even by an expert. 

In acute glanders the course is more rapid, with fever, greater 
discharge from the nose often streaked with blood and a sudden 
swelling of one or more limbs; ulcers soon appear upon the lin- 
ing membrane of the nose, and death is the common termination, 
but in some cases the acute is followed by the chronic form. 
In the form known as farcy, they are small nodular enlarge- 
ments of the size of a pea or larger, which form in different 
parts of the body, but most frequently along the course of the 
blood vessels inside the limbs, or on the face and neck. Only 
-a few may be present at a time or they may be numerous. They 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 26^ 

ultimately burst and discharge a thin yellowish viscid materiaL 
They may heal after a time, but are generally replaced by others. 
Both forms of the disease are incurable, and dangerous to other - 
animals and to man. 

Diagnosis. — By reading the above it will be seen that it is im- 
possible to diagnose with any degree of certainty a great many 
cases of glanders by mere physical examination. In 1891, Pro- 
fessors Kalning and Helman, of Eussia, discovered a substance- 
called mallein, which has rendered wonderful service in detect- 
ing doubtful and suspicious cases of glanders. During the short 
time since the discovery of mallein it has been tested by leading 
scientific veterinarians in every part of the world, and all unite 
in asserting that its use has at least furnished us with an agent 
by which we can readily and safely diagnose the disease, not only 
in suspected cases, but in those animals where the most care- 
ful physical examination can detect no signs of the disease. In 
the annual report of the Bureau of Animal Industry may be 
found the following: 

"Glanders is a contagious and incurable disease of horses, more 
widespread than is generally supposed. It is also communicated 
to man from affected horses, and is then nearly always fatal in 
its results. This disease has been allowed to spread without ade- 
quate efforts for its control, until it can now be found in nearly 
every city of any considerable size and in many country districts. 
The greatest obstacle to its eradication heretofore existing was 
the difficulty of making a positive diagnosis in many suspected 
animals. With many affected horses the symptoms are obscure 
and indefinite, but the power to communicate the disease is just 
as marked as those having the most apparent symptoms. For- 
tunately it has been shown by recent researches that the bacillus 
of glanders produces a substance during its growth in culture 
liquids similar to the tuberculin produced by the bacillus of 
tuberculosis, and that this substance, which is called mallein. 



264 Db. LeGeab's Stock Book. 

may be used for the diagnosis of glanders in the same manner 
as tuberculin is used for the diagnosis of tuberculosis. The 
greatest problem connected with the control of glanders is there- 
fore solved, and the question is no longer one of possibility, bat 
of expediency." 

Treatment. — As glanders is an incurable and contagious dis- 
ease, every effort should be made to have the animal destroyed 
as soon as it is known to be affected, and the carcass burned. 
The stable, harness, blankets, and all utensils used in connection 
with the animal should be thoroughly disinfected. Suspicious 
cases should be quarantined until it is known positively whether 
the disease exists or not. It is a criminal offense in the State 
of Texas to sell, trade, or dispose of a horse or mule that is 
known or even supposed to have glanders or farcy. 

LOCO WEED POISONING. 

The loco weed grows natural in some of the Western and 
Southern States. When eaten in large quantities it produces 
very poisonous effects. Horses and cattle seem to acquire a 
taste for it, and it is eaten more in the early spring when grass 
is scarce, as it has a tempting green appearance. It seems to 
exert its influence on the nervous system, as the animal affected 
walks like a drunken man. The animal may be very excitable, 
and loses flesh and gets very poor. They will finally acquire 
such a taste for it that they will eat nothing else. Delirium 
comes on, and the animal may die as if from brain fever. 

Treatment. — If the animal is removed from the weed before 
too much injury is done, he will recover. Medicine does not seem 
to do much good. Good care and good feeding may build up 
the system and throw off the effects of the poison. 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 265 



VARIOLA EQUINA (HORSE-POX). 

All domestic animals appear to be subject to variola, or pox, 
in some form or other. It is a disease similar to smallpox in 
man, but is comparatively simple to what it is in the human 
family. It is an acute infectious disease, accompanied by fever, 
producing eruptions or pustules, and, like all febrile diseases, 
runs a certain length of time. 

Causes. — It is caused by a germ. The more common means 
of contagion is by direct contact, or the virus may be carried by 
means of the bridle, the saddle, etc. A stallion suffering from 
this disease may be the means of transmitting it to a number of 
brood mares, and they in turn return to the farms, where they 
are surrounded by young animals to whom they convey the 
contagion. 

Symptoms. — Dullness with more or less fever. Soon small red 
patches appear upon the skin, and these patches are depressed 
in the center. These little nodules usually appear about the 
mouth, nose, heels, etc., and soon appear as vesicles, becoming 
filled with a watery fluid. These vesicles soon become pustules 
(containing pus or matter) which break and discharge, in some 
cases, several times in succession. When the mouth is much 
affected the animal chews his food with considerable difficulty. 
Variola runs its course in from eight to fifteen days and is not at 
all serious if treated properly. The virus (poison) is in a fixed 
form, and the disease may be communicated to man and from one 
animal to another by contact and by the virus obtaining entrance 
into a wound or sore. The period of exposure is from six to 
twelve days. 



266 Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 

Treatment. — Keep the animal warm, and carefully guarded 
from sudden chills, draughts of cold air, etc. Give internally 
our Condition Powders, and a few doses of sulphur may be bene- 
ficial. Apply to the eruptions on the skin the following ointment: 

Oxide of zinc 2 drams. 

Creolin 20 drops. 

Vaseline 1 ounce. 

Mix, and apply once a day. 

Before applying the ointment each time, bathe the parts nicely 
with warm water and a clean, soft -cloth until perfectly clean, 
drying afterwards with a dry, soft cloth. If there is much fever, 
tincture of aconite in 15 to 20 drop doses, or sulphate of quinine 
in dram doses, may be given. Feed the animal on easily digested 
food, and of a laxative character, to keep the bowels loose, such 
as little or no oats, bran mashes, a moderate quantity of sound 
hay, a few carrots or apples, watermelon rinds, etc. Water may 
be given often in small quantities, but it should not be cold. 
A dram of nitrate of potash may be put in the drinking water 
once or twice a day. 



Dk. LeGeak's Stock Book. 267 

CHAPTER XX. 
HABITS. 

WIND-SUCKING. 

This is a habit similar to cribbing, and a horse affected with 
the one generally indulges in the other; but they may be separate. 
A wind-sucker gulps in and swallows a quantity of air and dis- 
tends his stomach and bowels with the same. It is a very in- 
jurious and disagreeable habit. Cribbers and wind-suckers are 
generally affected with indigestion, hide-bound, and poor in 
flesh, and may take the colic at any time. We can recommend 
no treatment for wind-sucking. 

CRIBBING. ' 

This is a habit of catching hold of the manger, post, fence, 
or other object in front of the horse, with the teeth, and bearing 
clown till the neck is altered in position, so as to form a tempo- 
rary vacuum in the pharynx, when the air rushes in to fill it, 
making a sound not unlike the hiccoughs. It is merely a habit 
and not a disease, and is very injurious to the animal. It is 
claimed by some to be due to indigestion, and by others to be due 
to an irritation in the front teeth. It is brought on in many 
cases from idleness. An animal being kept in the stable day after 
day with no exercise is very liable to acquire this habit as well 
as others. 

There is no satisfactory remedy for the trouble, but it may be 
checked by buckling a wide strap around his neck quite tight. 
Another means of breaking up the habit is by smearing the man- 
is 



268 Dk. LeGear's Stock Book. 

ger, posts, or whatever he cribs on, with some strong irritating 
mixture, as cayenne or red pepper, kerosene oil, cantharides blis- 
ter, etc. If due to indigestion, it can be remedied by giving 
regularly our Condition Powders for one or two weeks. It is 
claimed by some that sawing between the front teeth with a 
narrow saw will prevent it. This of course makes the teeth sore 
and naturally keeps the animal from biting on hard objects for 
a time. It is a very unsatisfactory habit to break, as all remedies 
known will fail in most of cases. 

LOLLING. 

Lolling consists of allowing the tongue to hang loosely out of 
the mouth, and it dangles about in every direction when the 
animal is traveling. It can not be considered as a disease, but 
a habit, and a very ugly one. 

Prevention. — It may be prevented, and the animal broken of 
the habit by the use of a bit with a high center-piece, or a plate, 
or what is still better the application of a nose-band which 
should be tight enough to prevent the opening of the mouth. 



PART II. 



CATTLE DEPARTMENT. 



CATTLE DEPARTMENT. 



In a work of this kind, with such limited space, we will not 
attempt to enumerate the different breeds of cattle and their su- 
perior qualities, but will merely give the full particulars of dif- 
ferent diseases and their treatment, of cattle in Texas and the 
South. 

You will observe, in reading over the diseases of the horse, 
that we refer to similar diseases in the cow; therefore we will not 
write on those subjects again in this department. But there are 
certain diseases and ailments peculiar to the cow and cattle that 
we will here endeavor to describe, in a brief but plain and simple 
manner. It must be remembered that owing to the large size of 
the cow's stomach, and the quantity of food it contains, and to 
their slow, phlegmatic temperament, that it takes in most cases 
nearly twice the sized dose of most all medicines for them that 
it does for a horse. A cow has four stomachs, with a capacity of 
about 55 to 60 gallons; while the horse has only one stomach, 
that will hold about 3J to 4 gallons. A horse's bowels are about 
100 fet in length, while a cow's are about 150 feet, but the horse's 
bowels are larger in diameter than a cow's. A horse has no gall 
bladder, while of course a cow has. One interesting feature about 
a cow's stomach is the mechanism by which she can raise the 
food up into her mouth again and remasticate by chewing the 
cud. Some people entertain the very foolish idea that a cow's 
cud is always in her mouth, and that if she loses it by some acci- 
dent, she will get sick. The cud of a cow is portions of her food 
which she brings up from her stomach and chews a few minutes, 
and then swallows it again; and immediately brings up another 
portion. By rechewing, it prepares it better for digestion. It is 
almost impossible for a horse to vomit, owing to the small size oi 
the stomach and to the peculiar structure of the oesophagus (gul- 
let). 

[p. 271] 



272 De. LeGeae's Stock Book. 

CHAPTER XXI. 

THE DISEASES OF CATTLE. 

DISEASES OF THE STOMACH AND BOWELS. 

It is well to be remembered by all those interested in cattle 
and treating their diseases while sick, that a good physic is an im- 
portant part of the treatment of a majority of the diseases of the 
cow. Epsom salts is the important ingredient in all cow-physic, 
while aloes and linseed oil are the best for the horse. Below are 
formulas for the best cow physics. Before giving, dissolve in one 
pint of hot water, and when cool give as a drench, using a large 
long-necked bottle for the purpose: 

No. 1: 

Epsom salts X pound. 

Powdered ginger 1 ounce. 

No. 2: 

Epsom salts 1 pound. 

Common salt 1 pound. 

Powdered ginger 1 ounce. 

No. 3: 

Epsom salts 1 pound. 

Common salt -| pound. 

Powdered gamboge 1 ounce. 

Powdered ginger , 1^ ounces. 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 273 

No. 4: 

Epsom salts 1^ pounds. 

Calomel 1 dram. 

Croton oil \ dram. 

Powdered ginger 1 ounce. 

The above formulas are intended for ordinary sized cows. You 
can decrease or increase the dose, according to the size of the 
animal. No. 1 is a laxative or mild purgative for a cow; while 
No. 4 is a very strong purgative, given only in very severe cases 
of constipation or indigestion. 

BLOATING, OR HOVEN. 

This is a common disease among cows, and is characterized by 
the formation of gas in the paunch or rumen. It is very similar 
to wind colic in the horse. In many cases it is a very serious con- 
dition, and unless properly treated may cause the death of the 
animal. 

Causes. — Eating green food when not used to it, or eating 
mouldy or musty food may cause hoven. Green cane is a very 
frequent cause of this trouble, and it is a common thing for an 
animal to die in one or two hours after getting into the cane 
patch. Eating too much of any kind of grain or food which over- 
loads the stomach may cause it. The overloaded stomach be- 
comes paralyzed and inactive, and the large bulk of food lying 
in there sours and ferments and forms gas which distends the 
stomach. 

Symptoms. — There is more or less swelling of the abdomen, 
according to the severity of the trouble. The left flank is gen- 
erally distended the most, and when struck with the tips of the 
fingers a drum-like sound is heard. The animal is very uneasy, 



274 Dr. LeGeab's Stock Book. 

and moans and grunts with pain. Breathing "becomes oppressed 
by the distended stomach pressing on the lungs. If the animal 
is not relieved in time, it is liable to die of suffocation or of a 
ruptured stomach. 

Treatment. — If the animal is much distended, we would advise 
the use of the trocar and canula (Fig. 12) at once. The instru- 
ment is to be inserted into the left flank, midway between the last 
rib and the point of the hip and not too near the backbone. In- 
sert it downward and inward, and pull out the trocar, leaving 
the canula (hollow tube) in until all the gas escapes and gives 
the cow relief. If the gas forms again, it may be necessary to 
insert it again, or leave it in two or three hours. Another 
mechanical means of drawing off the gas is by the use of the 
probang, which is described under "Choking," which see. After 
you have drawn off the gas, give a physic, N"o. 2, to carry off the 
sour, fermented food. If the case is not urgent enough to use 
the trocar or probang, or if you haven't a trocar or probang, give 
as a drench the following: 

Aqua ammonia 1 ounce. 

Tincture of ginger 1 ounce. 

Oil of peppermint -J dram. 

Cold water 1 quart. 

If not relieved in one hour, repeat the dose. Give injections 
of warm water freely. We have known cases of this kind relieved 
by keeping the cow's mouth open by securing a piece of wood, 
or such like, between the teeth. In very urgent ' cases, and as 
the last resort where no trocar can be had, we would advise a 
sharp knife-blade to be inserted into the flank at the place ad- 
vised for tapping with the trocar, and a goose quill or the like 
put in to allow the gas to escape. If the animal is weak, give 
liquor acetate of ammonia 4 ounces in 1 pint of water as a 



De. LeGeae's Stock Book. 275 

drench; or one-half pint of whisky with half a dozen eggs 
may be given and repeated every four hours. After an ani- 
mal has suffered from an attack of bloating, great care should 
be taken that it does not eat too much for several days, as the 
stomach is weak and a relapse can be brought on very easily. 

DISTENTION OF THE PAUNCH WITH FOOD. 

This trouble is occasionally seen in cattle, and is due to eating 
too much of certain kinds of dry food. The stomach becomes 
paralyzed, and the food lies there in an undigested state. The 
left flank is seen to be full, but not as in bloating. The fullness 
will pit on pressure. After a time gas may form, and then very 
urgent symptoms come on. In treating this trouble every effort 
should be made to arouse the action of the paralyzed paunch, 
and work off the large quantity of food it contains. Give as a 
drench the following: 

Sweet spirits of nitre 2 ounces. 

Tincture of nux vomica J ounce. 

Tincture of ginger 1 ounce. 

Aqua ammonia 1 ounce. 

Cold water 1 quart. 

Repeat in four hours if necessary. Give physic No. 3, and if it 
does not work in twelve hours, give No. 4. If there is much 
gas present, treat according to directions under bloating. As a 
last resort, an operation is sometimes performed, called rurnen- 
otomy, by which a hole is cut into the left flank and a certain 
amount of the contents of the paunch is taken out with the hand. 
This is an operation that is not liable to be successful unless per- 
formed by a qualified veterinary surgeon. 



276 De. LeGeae's Stock Book. 



LOSS OF THE CUD. 

This is merely a symptom of disease, and not a disease of itself. 
Loss of end means not chewing the end, and shows that digestion 
is not being performed, and that the animal is not well. The 
end is a portion of the food that is brought np from the stomach 
and remasticated. A cow while eating chews its food very little, 
therefore the greater portion of it is brought np and chewed over 
again by the animal. Don't force dish-rags or the like into the 
cow's month to give her a end, as some do, but give her good care 
and treat her for the disease from which she is suffering, and 
the end will come back all right when she gets well. 

INDIGESTION OF THE THIRD STOMACH— DEY 
MURRAIN— GRASS STAGGERS. 

This is a digestive disorder affecting principally the third 
stomach of cattle. It is often called dry murrain, bnt that is 
not a proper name for the trouble. 

Causes. — It is generally seen among cattle that are eating 
coarse, dry, indigestible food. It is often seen after the grass 
becomes dry in the summer. A change from the green grass of 
spring to the dry, ripe grass of summer will produce it, especially 
where cattle are not allowed sufficient salt and fresh water. Food 
with astringent properties, such as acorns, will cause it. 

Symptoms. — The animal becomes dull and stupid, with loss of 
appetite. Constipation is present, and there is generally a full- 
ness of the left flank. The animal loses flesh, becomes weak, and 
lays down most of the time off by itself. Horns and ears be- 
come cold, and there may be some bloating present. In some 



Dk. LeGeak's Stock Book. 277 

cases there is partial paralysis, and staggering gait, with general 
brain symptoms. If relief is not given the animal may live five 
or eight days and die. 

Treatment. — A good physic, as No. 3, should be given at once.. 
If there is much weakness present, give 

Whisky 4 ounces- 
Tincture of ginger 1 ounce. 

Tincture of nux vomica \ ounce. 

Water 1 pint. 

Mix, and give as a drench, and repeat in four hours 
if necessary. 

Give injections of warm water freely. After the physic has- 
acted, a good tonic powder should be given, such as our Condi- 
tion Powders. (See Appendix.) 

DIAEEHOEA IN CALVES— WHITE SCOUE. 

This is quite a common trouble among calves that are not fed' 
regularly or properly. It is seldom seen among calves that run 
with their mothers, but it is quite common among calves that 
are fed on cold sour milk and giving them all they can drink 
only once or twice a day. 

Treatment. — Feed the calf often, and a small quantity at a- 
time, of boiled milk. Give one or two ounces of castor oil and 
one-half ounce of laudanum as a drench, and repeat the laud- 
anum in four hours if necessary. Get the following powders pre- 
pared and give: 



278 Dr. LeGtEar's Stock Book. 

Bicarbonate of soda 2 ounces. 

Powdered ginger 1 ounce. 

Carbonate of magnesia 2 ounces. 

Mix, and make ten powders, and give one powder three 
times per day in a little new milk and one ounce of good 
whisky. 

Feed the calf carefully for some time after an attack of 
•diarrhoea, as the stomach and bowels are weak and it can easily 
"be brought on again. 

DIARRHOEA IN CATTLE. 

Diarrhoea in cattle is generally caused by eating some indi- 
gestible food, or a change of food. Stagnant or foul water may 
cause it, or some irritant in the bowels. It may follow constipa- 
tion or strong physicing. 

Symptoms. — There is a copious fluid discharge from the 
bowels, which has a very offensive smell. The animal is dull, 
stands with its back arched, and shows thirst. It is often accom- 
panied by high fever, great loss of flesh, and sometimes death 
in a remarkably short time. 

Treatment. — When the trouble is due to some irritating food, 
give 1 pint of raw linseed oil and 1 ounce of laudanum as a 
drench. The following may be given: 

Powdered opium 2 drams. 

Carbonate of magnesia 1 ounce. 

Powdered ginger -J ounce. 

Prepared chalk 2 drams. 

Mix, and shake up with 1 pint of warm water and three 
fresh eggs, and give as a drench; and give three times per 
day until the bowels become natural. 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 279 

After an attack of diarrhoea give our Condition Powders (see 
Appendix) according to direction, to tone up the stomach and 
bowels. 

CONSTIPATION. 

This is due to much the same causes as in the horse, and 
may be relieved by giving either formula No. 2, 3 or 4, page 272. 

WORMS. 

Stomach and bowel worms are sometimes very troublesome to 
cattle, and can be relieved by giving our Worm Remedy (see Ap- 
pendix) according to directions on each box. 

DISEASES OF THE RESPIRATORY ORGANS. 

Cattle are occasionally sufferers from diseases of the respiratory 
organs, such as catarrh, laryngitis, bronchitis, pneumonia, etc., 
but the remarks on these diseases in the horse department of this 
book will sufficiently explain them for cattle; so you can know 
the trouble and give a course of treatment; remembering that a 
cow takes from one-half to once again as much for a dose of 
nearly all medicines as a horse does. 



280 Dk. LeGeak's Stock Book. 

CHAPTER XXII. 
OPEEATIONS. 

DEHORNING. 

This is an operation by which cattle are deprived of their 
horns. It has received a great deal of controversy through the 
stock and farm papers and veterinary journals as to the advisa- 
bility and cruelty of the operation; some claiming it to be very 
•cruel and unnecessary; while others assert that it is not cruel, 
but a humane act, to deprive cattle of their fierce and dangerous 
weapons — horns. We claim the operation is not cruelty to ani- 
mals. Cruelty to animals is defined as the infliction of unneces- 
sary pain. Of course it is more or less painful to the animal, but 
not more so than the operation of castration or branding, to 
which we regularly subject animals. The pain of a few minutes 
vduring which the operation is performed is nothing to be com- 
pared to the severe and lasting torture inflicted as a matter of 
every day occurrence, by animals upon each other, when left to 
wear in confinement their weapons of offense, which, although 
doubtless of utility in a wild state, are in a state of domesticity 
a menace to their companions and a dangerous encumbrance to 
themselves. How cruel it looks to see a bunch of long-horned 
steers, shut up in the feeding pens, in the stock yards, or worse 
still, in cars for shipment. There are always some restless, 
vicious ones goring the quieter ones with their long, sharp 
horns, and causing a commotion all the time among them. Still 
another plea in favor of dehorning is for the safety and protec- 
tion of mankind. Often do we read of men, women and children 
being gored to death by the sharp horns of vicious bulls. Cows 
and steers are dehorned chiefly to protect them from each other, 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 281 

but bulls should be dehorned to protect ourselves. Animals that 
are dehorned are more quiet and contented, fatten faster, and do 
better all around. 

As the exportation of cattle is quite extensively carried on, the 
removal of their horns will then not only lessen the owner's risk, 
but will also add materially to the comfort and safety of the ani- 
mals themselves. The operation may be performed at the age of 
two or three days or at any time through life. With the bull 
it is better to let him get old enough to learn the use of his horns 
as weapons of offense, and then deprive him of them. If taken 
out when a mere calf he will learn to use his head in butting, 
as a "moolly," but if dehorned after he grows up, it will gener- 
ally make him very docile and peaceable. You can very easily 
and with very little pain to the calf, prevent his horns from grow- 
ing by applying the caustic potash treatment when but a few days 
old. This is done by putting the calf over on its side and hold- 
ing it, while the operator clips the hair off the spot where the 
horn is to grow. Then with a stick of caustic potash he dips one 
end into cold water and rubs it gently on the spot for about ten 
or twelve seconds. The calf is then turned over and the opera- 
tion repeated on the other side. By this time the first side is dry 
and ready for a second application of the caustic, which is done 
exactly as the first. When both sides have been treated twice 
the calf can be let go and lie will grow up a hornless animal. 
Dehorning of grown cattle should be done in the spring or late 
fall — between fly-time and cold weather. The operation is com- 
paratively simple, and can generally be performed by the owner. 
A good saw or a pair of dehorning clippers (Fig. 55) is necessary 
to take the horns off with. The animal can be secured by tying 
down or by being put into a contrivance made for the purpose. 
The head must be securely fastened so the animal can't move 
around too much while the operator is removing the horns. It 
is well to take them off close, and even remove a portion of the 
skin about the horn so as to make a clean job. Bleed- 



282 



De. LeGtear's Stock Book. 



ing seldom ever amounts to anything, and about the only after- 
treatment needed is to see that no screw worms get into the 
wounds. If care is taken in performing the operation, very few 
losses, if any, will be had. 




Fig. 55. Dehorning Shears 



SPAYING COWS. 



Spaying is castration of the female animal, and was practiced 
extensively in Texas and the Western States a few years ago on 
cows and heifers. The fashion has rather died out in most 
breeding districts, one reason being that they are using all their 
heifers for breeding purposes. The object of spaying heifers and 
cows, as practiced by most stockmen, was to keep them from 



Dk. LeGeae's Stock Book. 283 

going in heat, and by so doing they would grow larger, fatten 
easier, and take on flesh faster. Dairy cows, for city purposes, 
are sometimes spayed to keep them giving a good flow of milk 
for two, three, or five years continuously. For these purposes 
she should be spayed in her prime of life, and while giving her 
greatest flow of milk. She should be in good health and in mod- 
erate flesh, but never should be operated on while pregnant or 
in heat. 

This operation in the cow is not a serious one, and if properly 
performed, there is little danger to the life of the animal. The 
operation may be performed in two ways, as in the mare, namely, 
by the flank or by the vagina. 

Ify the vagina operation is meant, to insert the hand into the 
vagina and by cutting a hole through the upper part of the 
vagina near the womb, the hand is inserted into the abdominal 
cavity and the ovaries (prides) found and brought into the va- 
gina, where they are taken off by a pair of forceps made specially 
for the purpose. This operation is less dangerous than the flank 
operation, but it requires some costly instruments and a thor- 
ough understanding of the anatomy of the parts before it can be 
performed with safety and ease. 

In the flank operation, after the animal is secured, an incision 
is made in the left flank large enough to insert the hand and 
arm. The ovaries can be found by finding the womb and then 
tracing it up, one ovary being found at the end of each of the 
two branches of the womb. When found they should be drawn 
out, one at a time, and removed with the ecrasure. The wound 
should be closed by strong silk or linen thread, being first 
cleansed with clean water containing a little carbolic acid. It is 
very important that the instruments and hands of the operator 
should be perfectly clean, as the animal could be very easily in- 
oculated with some poisonous germs adhering to them. The in- 
struments should be scalded with boiling waiter each time before 
if) 



284 



Dr. LeGeae's Stock Book. 



using, and the operator should pare his finger nails closely and 
thoroughly wash his hands and arms with soap and water and 
then rinse them and his instruments frequently in clean water 
containing a little carbolic acid. In this, as well as in all other 
surgical operations, absolute cleanliness is the great secret of 
success. 






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Dk. LeGeae's Stock Book. . 285 

CHAPTER XXIII. 

PAETURITION — PARTURIENT DISEASES. 

For a description of the general remarks on parturition in the 
cow, we will refer you to those given under this heading in the 
Horse Department. 

All such troubles as abortion, barrenness, natural presenta- 
tions, unnatural presentations, retention of the afterbirth, in- 
version of the womb, inflammation of the womb, bleeding after 
parturition, whites, etc., are fully described under their respec- 
tive headings in the Horse Department, and can be referred to 
there. 

MILK FEVER. 

There are three or four diseases that follow calving, such as 
parturient paralysis, parturient apoplexy, garget, etc., and the 
name Milk Fever is applied to them as v whole by most dairy- 
men. We will describe them later on. All animals, and more 
especially cows, have more or less fever after delivery of their 
young. It is due to the nervous shock and the agonizing pain 
they have to endure at this time. 

Symptoms. — The animal is somewhat dull, and has more or 
less fever according to the severity of the case. The appetite 
may be impaired, and the bag sometimes becomes swollen and 
feverish. 

Treatment. — Give the cow a physic, as No. 1, and give \ ounce 
of nitrate of potash and 25 drops of tincture of aconite in one 
pint of water as a drench three times a day for one or two days. 
Milk her often, and bathe the bag well two or three times a day 



286 Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 

with warm water; then apply our Liniment well rubbed in. Feed 
on bran mashes and green food. 

PARTURIENT PARALYSIS. 

Paralysis occasionally follows parturition, generally coming on 
in from one to three days after calving, but it is not a danger- 
ous trouble as a general thing. It is due to a rush of blood to 
the spinal cord or to pressure on the large nerves in the hind 
quarters. 

Symptoms. — The cow on being made to walk is seen to be 
unsteady in her gait, perhaps staggers from side to side, or has- 
what is known as a paddling gait. The animal may soon grow 
worse, and, being unable to stand, falls to the ground, the loss- 
of motion becoming better marked. Although not able to rise, 
there is not much, if any, pain present, and the appetite generally 
remains good. 

Treatment. — A good physic, as No. 2, should be given, and if 
necessary stimulants may be given every four or six hours. Blan- 
kets wrung out of hot water should be applied to the spine and 
across the loins, and the loins bathed well two or three times 
a day with our Liniment. Prepare and give the following pow- 
ders : 

Nitrate of potash 3 ounces. 

Powdered copperas 2 ounces. 

Powdered nux vomica 2 ounces. 

Mix, and make twelve powders, and give one powder 
morning and night in damp feed. 

The cow will generally recover, although it may take a couple 
of weeks to get her on her feet. While lying down, turn her 
over once or twice a day. 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 287 



PARTURIENT APOPLEXY. 

This is a disease peculiar to mature, fat cows, at or a day or 
two after calving. It is seldom if ever seen in the common 
breeds of cows, but the well bred, heavy milkers that are big 
fat at the calving time are the ones that suffer more frequently 
from this disease. It is seldom if ever seen in cows that are poor 
in flesh, or at first calving; nor ever seen after a case of 
difficult calving, as the severe labor, loss of blood, etc., 
have a tendency to weaken the system to a certain extent and 
prevent the disease. It invariably follows an easy calving, and 
the large amount of blood which after delivery of the calf 
should go to make milk, instead of doing so is thrown back upon 
the system, and causing congestion of the brain and spinal cord, 
gives rise to the various symptoms of parturient apoplexy. It 
is one of the most serious and rapidly fatal diseases with which 
the Veterinary Surgeon has to deal. High feeding, with the 
animal fat and full of rich blood, and an easy delivery, are the 
main causes of this terribly fatal disease. It is more prevalent 
during very hot weather, as the heat helps to bring on the fever. 
Heavy milking cows that are in good flesh and fed heavily up to 
the time of calving are very liable to this disease, if they come in 
during a very hot spell of weather. 

Symptoms. — The disease comes on from one hour to several 
days after calving, it being seldom seen before calving. The 
nearer to the time of calving the disease comes on the more fatal 
it is. All cases that come on within two days after calving gen- 
erally die, while a majority of cases can be cured that come on 
after the third day. The animal is generally first noticed to be 
somewhat dull, with unsteady, staggering gait. There is a pecu- 
liar paddling action of the feet which is characteristic of partu- 
rient apoplexy. In severe cases the paralysis increases rapidly, 



288 De. LeGtear's Stock Book. 

and the animal is soon unable to walk or stand alone, therefore 
goes down. It may, in a fit of excitement, try to rise, but fails, 
and soon quiets down into a comatose (sleepy) condition, with 
the head turned to the side with the nose resting on the 
ground. Occasionally the animal will stretch out at full 
length with the head on the ground. She is now in 
a dead sleep, as it were, with no signs of life except a 
weak, slow pulse and very slow breathing. You can touch the 
ball of the eye without her even batting the eyelid. The animal 
may live in this condition for several hours, but as a general 
thing they will die in from two to four hours after it comes on. 
Many valuable cows have we been called to see in this comatose 
condition, but all we could do was to watch them die. The ani- 
mal has no power of swallowing, neither is there any digestion 
going on. Medicine put into the stomach with a stomach pump 
does no good, as there is no digestion or absorption. 

Treatment. — If the cow is seen before she falls and before the 
power of swallowing is lost, a good physic should be given, as 
No. 4. If the physic is given six or eight hours before the coma- 
tose condition comes on you may save her. But if she goes off 
to sleep before you give the medicine, or shortly after, the case 
is hopeless, and she will die. The head should be kept cool by 
applying ice or cloths wrung out of cold water. The animal 
should be protected from the sun or cold wet weather. All 
milk should be removed from her bag often. If the animal can 
yet swallow give: 

Tincture of aconite 20 drops. 

Nitrate of potash \ ounce. 

Bromide of potash 1 ounce. 

Water 1 pint. 

Mix, and give as a drench every four hours.- 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 289 

Prevention. — Prevention is of far more value in this disease 
than all the treatment yon can give. Cows that are heavy milk- 
ers and big fat should be cut short on their feed for a couple of 
weeks previous to calving. Plenty of salt and all the water they 
will drink is beneficial. A dose of epsom salts, as No. 1, should 
be given about one day before the cow is expected to come in. 
If she comes in unexpectedly, don't delay to give her the physic 
as soon as found, if she is fat and a big milker. One ounce of 
nitrate of potash may be given every day for several days instead 
of the salts. If the udder (bag) becomes much distended before 
calving, it should be milked every day, as it gives relief to the 
cow and wards off disease. Plenty of exercise, light feed, and a 
dose of salts, are the great preventatives against this dread dis- 
ease. Many a poor cow is killed through kindness by her owner 
feeding her very heavy previous to calving, so she will give a 
good flow of milk when she comes in. 

MAMMITIS— GARGET. 

Garget, more properly known as Mammitis, consists of in- 
flammation of the mamary gland (bag), and is brought about in 
various ways. Some cases are very mild and pass off in a day 
or two, while others are more severe, and may either destroy the 
udder or kill the cow. Any one or more of the quarters may be 
affected, and sometimes the whole bag is involved. Garget gen- 
erally comes on shortly after calving, but may take place even 
before calving, or any time while the cow is giving milk. 

Causes. — Garget may be caused by an injury to the udder, 
such as kicks, blows, wounds from briars or thorns, lying r«n 
sharp objects, etc. A frequent cause of the trouble is irregular 
milking, and not completely emptying the bag at each milking. 
Over-driving with distended udder may cause it, and also it very 
often follows calving by the fever in the system settling in the 



290 De. LeGeae's Stock Book. 

udder. Sudden changes of temperature, as hot days and cold 
nights, ma}' be a cause of garget. 

Symptoms. — There is a swelling of a part or the whole of the 
udder, with heat, tenderness, and a hard feeling. It is in some 
cases so tender and sore that the animal will refuse to have it 
touched or handled. Instead of natural milk, a thin. yellowish 
fluid is drawn from the teat, which soon becomes thicker and 
in curdled lumps, and has a bad smell. The animal is more or 
less stiff and lame in the hind quarters and especially on the 
side where the swelling is. The animal is restless, fever- 
ish, and has lost her appetite. Milder cases generally yield 
readily to treatment, while in some of the severer forms the 
udder becomes mortified and great portions of it slough off. In 
other cases abscesses form in the affected quarters, which have 
to be freely opened to let the pus escape. If a cow recovers from 
a case of garget she seldom regains her full flow of milk until 
after her next calf. "Where abscesses form, or where mortifica- 
tion and sloughing sets in, the quarter or whole udder is gener- 
ally destro} r ed. 

Treatment. — Give the cow a physic, as Xo. 2, and give the 
following: 

Tincture of aconite 20 drops. 

Xitrate of potash 4 drams. 

"Water 1 pint. 

Mix, and give as a drench, and repeat every four hours 
until four or six doses have been given. 

If the udder is much swollen it should be supported with a 
large bandage padded softly with cotton and such like. Cut 
holes in the bandages for the teats to come through. Bathe the 
bag well for an hour at a time, and apply the following, which 



Dr. LeGtEar's Stock Book. 291 

is undoubtedly the most effectual remedy to remove the cake 
(hardness) from a cow's bag: 

Fluid extract of belladonna 1 ounce. 

Soft soap \ pound. 

Mix, and use only what you need at a time, and apply 
twice per day. 



Fig. 56. Milking Tube. 

Another way this can be done is to wet the bag with the 
belladonna, and then with a piece of strong lye soap make a 
thick lather on all the swelled, caked portions of the bag, and let 
remain for six or eight hours, when you can wash off with warm 
water and apply again. Keep this up as long as there is any 
fever in the bag. Long continued, gentle hand-rubbing and 
kneading the affected parts is very beneficial. Strip out all the 
milk you can four or five times a day, or the milking tube (Fig. 
56) may be inserted to drain off the milk as fast as it forms. If, 
after the fever leaves the udder, there are hard places still re- 
maining, apply the following: 

Tincture of iodine 6 ounces. 

Tincture of opium 2 ounces. 

Soap liniment 4 ounces. 

Mix, and apply with friction, two or three times per 
day. 

Also give 2 drams of iodide of potash as a drench in 1 pint 
of water every morning and night before feeding. If abscesses 
form they should be lanced and let the matter out; and syringe 
out the cavity once a day with a weak solution of carbolic acid. 



292 Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 



BLOODY MILK. 

Cows occasionally give bloody milk, which may he due to 
some injury to the udder, or to congestion or inflammation of 
the same. It may he due to some diseased condition of the ud- 
der, or from eating some acrid or irritant plants. 

Treatment. — If it is due to congestion or injury of the udder, 
give physic No. 1. Bathe the hag well with warm water twice 
a day, and each time after bathing apply our Liniment well to all 
affected parts. After the cow has physicked out, give our Con- 
dition Powders in bran mash for a week or ten days. If due to 
eating certain kinds of weeds, change the pasture. Don't use the 
milk while it is bloody or for several days afterwards, for it may 
be due to some poison or from tubercular disease (consumption) 
in the udder. 

BLUE MILK. 

Cows sometimes give bluish or watery milk, which is generally 
due to the presence of a germ in the teat or udder that infects 
the milk and changes its color and character. Give internally 
physic No. 1, and give 2 drams of hyposulphite of soda twice a 
day in the feed or as a drench. Our Condition Powders given 
regularly for one or two weeks will be beneficial. 

STRINGY MILK. 

This is a condition in which the milk gets in a stringy white 
or yellowish condition. Its causes and treatment are about the 
same as for Blue Milk, which see. 



Dk. LeGeak's Stock Book. 293 



BLOCKED OE CLOSED TEATS. 

This is quite a common trouble among dairy cows, and is due 
to various causes, such as warty growths, fleshy growths, thick- 
ening of the mucus membrane, calculus, etc. In some cases the 
little warty or fleshy growth can be felt by squeezing the teat. 
Many a valuable cow has been made to lose one or more quarters 
by this trouble. It is generally first noticed when the cow comes 
in. On trying to milk her, no milk can be gotten from the af- 
fected quarter, and the general procedure is to run a knitting 
needle or the like up the teat to try and force an opening. You 
can generally force an opening, but it will close right up again. 
You may get a little milk from the teat, but it swells up for a 
few days and then gradually dries up and withers away, and will 
not fill up again until the next calf. 



Fig. 57. Teat Slitter, for opening closed (blind) teats in cows. 

Treatment. — The milking tube should be inserted, but if there 
is a fleshy or warty growth in the teat, the teat slitter (Fig. 57) 
should be inserted and an opening be made through the growth 
with the little knife on the side near the end, and then the milk- 
ing tube inserted and used until the cut surface heals around the 
cavity. If this is done in time a great many cases can be saved. 
But as a general thing treatment is not successful, and the teat 
will dry up. 



294 Db. LeGeae's Stock Booe. 



OPEXIXG IX THE SIDE OF THE TEAT. 

This trouble is occasionally met with, and is very unpleasant 
to the milker while milking. It is generally caused by an ex- 
ternal wound, as a barb-wire cut which penetrates the milk canal, 
and when it heals it leaves a hole by which the milk escapes at 
the side of the teat. Most of cases of this kind can be cured by 
scarifying (making raw) the edges of the hole with a sharp lance. 
and then stitch the raw surfaces tiffhtrv together bv the use of 
the quilled suture (see quilled suture in Horse Department). If 
the cow is giving milk, draw off the milk two or three times per 
clay with the milking tube. Leave the stitches in for eight or 
ten days, when they can' be removed with safety. 

SOKE TEATS. 

WTien sores exist to any considerable extent on cows' teats, 
they make it very painful to the cow and unpleasant to milk her. 
They are caused in various ways, as from barb-wire cuts, 
scratches from thorns and briars, chapped from cold winds, lying 
down in filthy places, etc. 

Treatment. — There is nothing that will heal up sores of this 
kind as fast as our Healing Lotion. After each time of milking 
wash the teats all off nicely with soap and water, and wet the 
sores with the Healing Lotion. Eemove all the scabs at each 
rime of washing, as vou will heal the sores faster bv so doin£. 



Dk. LeGeae's Stock Book. 295- 

CHAPTER XXIV. 
INSECTS AND THE STIFF DISEASE. 

TICKS. 

There are several species of ticks that attach themselves to 
cattle. The most common in this country, and the one we will 
describe here, is the Boophilus bovis. It is important and inter- 
esting to know something of the life history, development, and 
habits of this parasite on account of the important part it plays 
in its relation to Texas fever, and the annoyance it causes stock 
when they infest them in countless numbers. It was not until 
about 1889 that any attention was paid to this tick. Experi- 
ments show that the life of a tick, or of one generation (from the 
time the eggs are laid until the tick is matured and full grown), 
is from 45 to 70 days. It will be found that by taking mature 
female ticks from cattle and putting them in a glass vessel, 
they will remain quiet for two or four days, when they will begin 
to lay their eggs, and continue to lay them for several days. Stat- 
istics gathered at experiment stations show that the average full 
grown mature tick will lay a little over 2000 eggs. All female 
ticks at any age after maturity, that have been fertilized by the 
male, will begin laying eggs in a few days after being taken from 
or fallen off the host (cattle). The eggs will hatch out in from 
three to four weeks, according to the temperature, moisture, sur- 
roundings, etc. They will hatch out much quicker in hot, damp 
weather than when it is cool or dry. These young ticks will re- 
main on the ground alive for several months in favorable 
weather, but will not grow or mature unless they can get upon 
an animal. By having the power of living so long in this larval 
state, they are very liable to get upon an animal if they arc in a 



296 Dr. LeGear's Stoce: Book. 

pasture frequented by cattle. When the larval tick gets upon 
an animal, it at once begins to grow, and in about one week it 
has its first moulting (shedding its skin). At the end of the 
second week it moults again and becomes sexually mature, when 
fertilization is liable to take place, as a male and a female tick 
are generally found together. After fertilization, the female 
tick enlarges very slowly until from the nineteenth to the twen- 
ty-second day, when she swells up very rapidly, and in a day or 
two loosens her hold and falls to the ground, where the laying 
of eggs begins in a few days. It will be seen by the above that 
the length of time a tick remains on an animal is about three 
weeks. Ticks are more numerous on uncultivated land, prairies 
and woodland. They bore into the skin, and when in large num- 
bers cause considerable irritation and annoyance to the animal. 

Treatment. — The subject of a cheap, reliable and convenient 
remedy that will eradicate ticks from cattle has received a great 
deal of thought and investigation during the past few years. If 
such a remedy could be worked out it would be of great benefit 
to the cattle and farming industry of the whole country. The 
danger of infecting northern territory in the transfer of southern 
cattle would be overcome; a market previously closed would be 
opened to summer feeders in the north, in seasons when there 
occurs an abundance of corn and grass and a scarcity of native 
cattle. This surplus food stuff could be turned to the profit of 
the farmer. The present necessary though burdensome quaran- 
tine regulations would be greatly eased; foreign countries could 
no longer exclude these animals on the grounds that they are 
liable to introduce a dangerous disease. In some parts of the 
country ticks are so bad that stock owners have to resort to 
some means by which they can rid their cattle of the tick, for 
they are a great curse to the comfort, welfare, and growth of the 
animal. There have been various remedies and modes of appli- 
cation advocated, but none seems to be so effectual or easily 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 297 

applied as by dipping. A large vat or tank is constructed, lead- 
ing to which is a narrow chute and trap door, by which the 
cattle are plunged into the solution in the tank and made to 
swim out at the other side. Various preparations have been tried, 
to make the solution in the tank, such as crude carbolic acid, 
tobacco, chloro-naptholeum, cotton seed oil, etc. With some, 
the oily preparations have proven very satisfactory, while others 
claim it is not a sure remedy. 

For dairy cows and for gentle farm cattle the ticks can be de- 
stroyed by painting the cattle with 15 parts crude carbolic acid 
dissolved in 80 parts of crude cottonseed oil. 

Extensive experiments have been made with the dipping of 
cattle for the eradication of ticks by Dr. Francis, at College Sta- 
tion, Texas, and by Mr. E. J. Kleberg, of Alice, Texas. We 
think we can not do better here than to quote some of Dr. Fran- 
cis' remarks on dipping cattle: 

"The destruction of these parasites on the bodies of our cattle 
has engaged a large share of our attention for several years. It 
is evident that whatever means be adopted, it is of first import- 
ance that every tick be reached. This is accomplished by forc- 
ing the cattle to swim through a large dipping vat, somewhat 
similar to the dipping process employed against certain para- 
sites of sheep. The device consists of a large wooden vat, about 
ten feet deep and forty feet long, having a working capacity of 
about five thousand gallons. It is constructed in a large trench 
so that the lower two-thirds is below the ground line. The en- 
trance is through a narrow chute at the end of which there is 
provided a trap door balanced over the end of the vat, so that 
when the animal passes through the chute and arrives on the 
trap, the latter tilts, and the animal, losing its balance, plunges 
into the vat. The animal is almost always completely sub- 
merged, thus bringing the solution in contact with its entire 
body. On rising to the surface it swims to the exit, which is 



298 Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 

provided with a cleated inclined floor to enable it to make its 
way out and reach an inclined dripping platform where the cat- 
tle are detained a short time. This device has a working capacity 
of about one thousand head per day. It is. perhaps, not desira- 
ble to burden this report with the details of the construction of 
the vat. Those who are seriously interested in the subject will 
be provided with plans and dimensions. In our earlier studies 
of the subject we began testing the different varieties of sheep 
dips, with the view of finding a suitable and efficient commercial 
preparation that could be supplied in large quantities and be of 
uniform quality. We selected a certain one which seemed to be 
typical of the carbolic acid group. Of this we made up -±000 
gallons of a 5 per cent strength. The cattle were then forced to 
swim through it. The results were not satisfactory, because it 
irritated the animals considerably and did not kill all the ticks. 
We also tried other carbolic preparations in a similar manner, 
but found ourselves confronted with this condition: That some 
of the ticks would survive solutions that would probably be fatal 
to the cattle if immersed in it. On one occasion we seriously 
scalded about ninety animals by using a too concentrated car- 
bolic preparation. We found, also, that carbolic emulsions are 
very unstable, and undergo changes very rapidly, which makes 
them almost worthless for dipping purposes. Our attention was 
next engaged with an arsenical sheep dip. which we used in a 1 
per cent solution. Of this we made up 4000 gallons and forced 
cattle to swim through it. This preparation was stable, uniform, 
and non-irritating, but its action on the ticks was so indifferent 
that it was discarded. Emulsions of kerosene and decoctions of 
tobacco were also tried in a small way with no practical results. 
We next began using oils. The first season we used cottonseed 
oil to which had been added 10 per cent crude carbolic acid and 
5 per cent pine tar. We filled the vat with water and added 
about 100 gallons of the oil mixture, which made a laver on the 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 299 

surface of the water three-fourths to one inch in depth. The 
cattle were forced through the chute and plunged into the vat. 
On rising to the surface and coming out they became covered 
with oil., which was exceedingly fatal to the tick without causing 
any positive injury to the cattle. We noted, however, that such 
a coating of oil in the vat soon became greatly altered in appear- 
ance and quality, from contact with the water, which eventually 
induced us to seek a substitute. We next tried a cheap natural 
or mineral oil, called "Winter West Virginia." We used this in 
the same manner as the cotton oil. It bears agitation with water 
quite well, but it occurs to me that it is not so fatal as the cot- 
ton oil to the tick. We sometimes use it alone, and sometimes 
add carbolic acid to it. In some instances we have dipped a 
bunch of cattle with absolutely perfect results, and sometimes we 
notice an animal on which the work was imperfect. There is 
yet a third condition of affairs for which we have no satisfactory 
explanation. It sometimes occurs that half-grown ticks will be 
noticed several days after dipping. This has caused us great an- 
noyance and much study. At present we attribute it to the con- 
dition of the tick at the time of dipping, viz., that it was moult- 
ing. These young ticks sometimes increase in size, and may 
have the appearance of healthy ticks, but we have invariably 
failed to hatch their eggs, which seem to have been aborted, 
though the conditions were suitable as proven by eggs of other 
ticks hatching under the same conditions. This has led us to be 
someAvhat guarded of late, in claiming that one dipping will 
offer sufficient safeguard against Texas fever, if the dipping pro- 
cess be adopted on a commercial basis. For purely experimental 
purposes it may, but in our judgment it would be somewhat 
risky for general use. It occurs to us then, that if a change in 
the present Federal regulations be contemplated, it would be 
wise to require two dippings with an interval of several days. 
This we believe would be absolutely safe." 
20 



300 Dk. LeGear's Stock Book. 

By reading the article in this book on Texas Fever, it will be 
seen that the tick is without a donbt the sole transmitter of the 
disease, and a large dipping vat is now being constructed at Fort 
Worth, Texas, where cattle will be dipped under State and Fed- 
eral inspection, and if pronounced free from ticks they will be 
admitted into the State of Kansas for feeding purposes, thus 
opening a market from Texas to summer feeders in the North. 
This is a long stride in the direction of breaking down quaran- 
tine barriers, and will be watched with interest. 

HOEN FLY. 

This is a little black fly which infests certain districts of the 
United States and causes great annoyance to cattle. They have 
received the popular name of "horn fly" from the fact that they 
collect upon the horns of cattle while they (the flies) are at rest. 
This fly first made its appearance in any great numbers in the 
United States about ten years ago, and at that time some very 
wild stories were told about it. It was claimed that the fly ate 
through the horn, caused it to rot, and laid eggs inside, which, 
after hatching, penetrated the brain. This, however, is not the 
case; but they do cause great annoyance to cattle by biting them. 
They prevent thrift in beef cattle and milk production in dairy 
cows. When they are present in large numbers they collect upon 
the base of the horns, along the top of the neck, or under the 
belly. They attack cattle in the field by piercing the skin and 
sucking the blood. Certain cattle will be covered with the flies 
and mind them very little, while others lose flesh very rapidly. 
But as a general thing they are not very injurious to stock and 
will never cause death to the animal. They will not make sores 
on cattle, but sores will form by the cattle rubbing themselves 
against trees, fences, etc., to get rid of the flies. 



Dk. LeGear's Stock Book. 301 

Treatment. — The only thing to be done is to keep the cattle in 
dark stables during the day or apply some greasy or oily sub- 
stance to the skin. Crude cottonseed oil 1 gallon, and crude car- 
bolic acid 4 ounces, thoroughly mixed and painted on the cows 
with a large brush, will keep on 2 the flies for four or five days at 
a time. The female fly lays its eggs in the droppings of cattle, 
which soon hatch out and form a new generation of flies. These 
droppings by being burned when a little dry will destroy the 
eggs. 

SCEEW-WOEMS. 

The maggots from the screw-worm fly (Lucillia macellaria) are 
the greatest curse to stock, and cause the stockmen of Texas more 
trouble than any other thing. The flies deposit their eggs on 
sores on stock, and these eggs hatch out in a remarkably short- 
time; and then the maggots grow very rapidly, and in two or 
three days there are dozens, or perhaps hundreds, of good-sized 
screw- worms burrowing and boring into the healthy flesh; and 
unless killed, they will in many cases kill the animal. Dogs and 
pigs will drown them out if they can get to water, but they have 
to be killed by the use of medicine as a general thing on horses, 
cattle and sheep. The best and safest remedy we know for kill- 
ing screw-worms is chloroform 1 part and alcohol 2 parts, to be 
injected into the sore. After killing them out, dust the sore 
with Dr. LeGear's Screw Worm Powder, which is a fine healing 
preparation and keeps out the screw-worms. 

THE STIFF DISEASE. 

This is a fragilitis (brittle) conditon of bone, and is variously 
known as "the stiffness," "the cripple," etc. It appears to be 
more or less dependent upon a peculiarity of soil, being common 
to that of a porous or sandy nature, and more or less sterile. 



302 De. LeGeak's Stock Book. 

We have been confronted with similar trouble in Texas, counties 
of Burnet, Lampasas, Tom Green, etc., where the disease seems 
to be quite common, and appears to be due to a lack of phos- 
phates, and amonia in the soil. 

Symptoms. — The animal has a depraved appetite, the milk de- 
creases and becomes thin, watery, and of a bluish color, yielding 
but little cream. The animal soon gets poor, becomes stiff and 
weak, rises with difficulty, drags the hind limbs in walking, and 
usually lies down a great deal; the joints swell, the animal evi- 
dently suffering much pain; fracture of the bones are common; 
paralysis of the limbs may take place. The disease may continue 
for months, or even as long as a year, but may be arrested in the 
early stages. 

Treatment. — Eemove the affected animals from the soil on 
which they contracted the disease to a pasture where the char- 
acter of the land is entirely different, and make a change in the 
water supply also. Nutritious food, those rich in phosphates, are 
most important, for the assimilation of which common salt 
should be given. If the drinking water is soft (rain water), give 
water that contains carbonate, sulphate, or phosphate of lime, 
and chlorate of magnesia, etc. Not much can be done for ad- 
vanced cases, and treatment is almost useless. We believe it is 
generally due to the influence of the drinking water, and con- 
sider that the relation between lime-salts in the water and soft- 
ness of bone deserve far more consideration on the part of stock 
owners than is generally done. 



Dk. LeGeak's Stock Book. 303 

CHAPTER XXV. 
CONTAGIOUS DISEASES. 

CHARBON OR ANTHRAX. 

Anthrax may be defined to be a malignant and contagious dis- 
ease of the blood, attacking particularly cattle, horses, mules, 
sheep and goats, but communicable to all domestic animals. It 
may be communicated to man, and is then known as "malignant 
pustule." On account of it attacking such a variety of the do- 
mesticated animals it is one of the most dreaded scourges of ani- 
mal life. 

History. — This disease dates back to the siege of Troy, in Asia 
Minor, and was a terrible plague of the cattle of Egypt in the 
time of Moses. And in response to the casting forth of ashes 
from the furnace by Moses, the modern name of charbon, an- 
thrax and "carbuncle, all signifying burning, would seem some- 
what remarkable. The Greeks in writing about it in regard to 
man called it anthrax, while the Latin writers termed it car- 
buncle. In Germany it is called milzbrand; in Australia, Cum- 
berland disease. In the Middle Ages it was frequently confound- 
ed with auother plague, rinderpest, but the outbreaks of it in 
99f> A. D. and 1090 A. D. in France, clearly identified it as a 
different disease. In 1617, at Naples, Italy, numbers of hu- 
man beings died from eating the flesh of animals which were 
affected with the disease. Serious outbreaks constantly occur in 
the United States, and it has a great tendency to spread. In re- 
cent years the most noticeable outbreaks have occurred in Dela- 
ware, New Jersey, New York, Illinois, Louisiana and California. 
Between June 15 and October 15, 1893, 970 animals succumbed 



304 Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 

to the disease in five counties in Illinois. In July, 1895, 222 
died in one county in Xew Jersey. And it is reported that thou- 
sands of animals have died during the recent outbreak in Louis- 
iana. It is quite common among the mules of Mexico. Gen- 
erally speaking the germs of anthrax seem to exist wherever the 
soil is of a marshy nature, and outbreaks are always likely to take 
place where such soil is found. 

Causes. — The causes of anthrax were at one time attrib- 
uted entirely to climatic influence, the soil, etc., and no doubt 
they are important predisposing factors in the development 
of the disease, for it is most prevalent in low, damp, 
swampy districts during the warm season, especially when out- 
breaks over any number of animals occur. Decaying vegetable 
matter seems most favorable for nourishing and preserving the 
virus, while it is more frequent in districts where low-lying 
swamp lands dry out during the heat of summer and are then 
covered with light rains. The direct cause of anthrax is the an- 
thrax bacillus (bacillus anthrax), winch is a rod-like, vegetable 
organism. These bacilli are very small, and require a powerful 
microscope to see them, The bacteria multiply very rapidly in 
the blood by becoming elongated and then dividing into two, and 
each of these dividing, and so on indefinitely. Outside of the 
body, however, when under conditions favorable to growth, they 
multiply in a different way. Small round bodies appear within 
the rods, called spores (seed germs), which remain alive after 
years of drying. They also resist extreme heat, so that boiling 
water is necessary to destroy them. The bacilli themselves, on 
the other hand, show only very little resistance to heat and dry- 
ing. 

The spores may remain in the ground for years and then pro- 
duce an outbreak of the disease. They may be carried to land on 
skin scraps which are used as fertilizers. Weather, rainfall and 
temperature in particular govern the source of the contagion. 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 305 

Heavy rains may wash the seed into the ground as deep as the 
water itself goes, but as long as they remain there of course they 
are harmless. Now during dry weather the water is drawn up 
through good soil from a very considerable depth, evaporated 
and deposits on the surface whatever it brings up in it. Or dur- 
ing light rains after a dry spell earth worms in seeking moisture 
may bring the spores to the surface from the same depths. This 
places the seed in suitable soil and temperature to sprout and 
multiply at once, or they may find their way into the animal's 
body still in the form of seed, therein germinate and develop an 
epidemic. This explains why a long drouth followed by light 
rains is characteristic of anthrax weather. 

The first discovery of the specific virus of anthrax was made by 
Davaine in 1851. But it was left to M. Pasteur, the great French 
scientist, who in 1877 defined the exact nature of the bacillus, 
the manner of its production, and its exact relationship to an- 
thrax, as the real cause of the disease. The anthrax bacilli may 
be introduced into the body in three different ways: either 
through the mouth or alimentary canal, through the respiratory 
organs, or through the skin. When the infection takes place 
through the skin it is usually introduced by the sting of some 
insect, especially the large horsefly. This fly carries the poison 
from the carcasses of the animals which have died of the disease 
and simply inoculates it into the skin of live animals. The germs 
may also be introduced into the system by coining in contact 
with a wound or abrasion of the skin or mucous membrane. And 
when it affects the digestive organs the germs of the disease are 
usually taken into the body with the feed or water. 

Symptoms. — The symptoms as a general thing are suddenly 
developed and very alarming in character. An animal may be 
left at night iu apparently a state of perfect health and found 
the next morning dead. Milk cows have been milked in the 
morning and at noon found dead. Horses and mules will sue- 



306 Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 

curnb to the terrible disease while working in the field. Pigs 
eating at a trough have been known to step back, turn around, 
squeal, tumble down and die in a minute. This may properly be 
called the apoplectic form of the disease, and the most thrifty 
animals in the flock or herd may become victims of the disease, 
contracting it usually in its most acute and malignant forms, 
while the poorer animals may escape entirely or take it in a mild 
form. As this form is so suddenly developed, death takes place 
before any symptoms are noticed. But in other forms it runs 
a somewhat longer course. The symptoms are different in dif- 
ferent animals, and may differ in the same class of animals. 

As has been stated before, the disease germs may gain access 
into the animal in several ways, viz., on the feed or in the water, 
thus gaining access into the alimentary canal; through the air, 
passing into the lungs; and by inoculation into the skin or mu- 
cous membrane, by coming into contact with diseased animals or 
infected pastures, premises, etc. When the infection takes place 
through the skin a hard, warm, painful swelling with well de- 
fined margins form under the skin and spread rapidly over the 
surface. The infection is usually accompanied by fever, loss of 
appetite, and quickened respirations. The swelling becomes cold 
and painless in a few days, and either may be absorbed or the 
disease spreads to the intestinal organs and proves fatal to the 
animal. But when the disease gains access through the alimen- 
tary canal or the lungs, there is a very high fever, a small, rapid 
pulse, the visible mucous membranes of a bluish red color, and 
in some cases symptoms of congestion of the brain, also of colic 
and diarrhoea often mixed with blood. Chills and muscular 
tremors may appear, and the skin show uneven temperature. 
The animal becomes dull and stupid, the eyes staring, and mani- 
fests great weakness. There is also loss of appetite, labored 
breathing, and the region of the throat may become swollen to 
such an extent that the breathing becomes roaring, and may be 
followed bv suffocation. The disease usuallv lasts from a few 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 307 

hours to two or three days. Recovery is very rare. An examina- 
tion of the blood shows a dark fluid, which is not clot, and which 
remains black after exposure to the air. After death the bodies 
putrify very rapidly and bloat, the tissues are filled with gases, 
and a bloody foam exudes from the mouth, nostrils, etc. The 
spleen becomes enlarged from two to five times its natural size, 
and the pulse is blackish and soft. The liver has a cooked ap- 
pearance, and the kidneys are congested and also soft. 

Treatment. — When the animal becomes affected with charbon 
it almost invariably dies, as there has been no reliable treatment 
discovered as yet. Nearly every drug in the pharmacopoeia has 
been tried with negative results. There is only one form of the 
disease in which treatment is of any avail, and that is the form 
in which the disease germs gain access through an external 
wound or abrasion of the skin. In such cases the swellings 
should be opened freely by long incisions with a sharp lance and 
the wound dressed several times a day with strong antiseptic 
solutions. No matter whether treatment is adopted or not, a few 
of the affected animals may recover, but recoveries are doubtful. 

Pasteur in 1881 very fortunately discovered a protective vac- 
cine, which has been thoroughly proven to be a sure preventive 
against ihe disease. It is well known how human beings are 
protected from smallpox by vaccination. All domestic animals 
can in the same way be protected from anthrax by the use of 
Pasteur's anthrax vaccine. It is a specially prepared liquid, a 
few drops of which are injected under the skin by the use of a 
hypodermic syringe. Vaccination consists of two inouculations, 
the first with a very weak virus, while the second is somewhat 
stronger and injected about twelve days later. Pasteur's vaccine 
is not, and is not intended to be a cure for charbon, but animals 
after being vaccinated enjoy immunity from the disease in nearly 
every case. Vaccination of the domestic animals against this 
disease is being practiced qufte extensively in various parts of 



308 Dk. LeGtEar's Stock Book. 

the United Stages and receives the highest approval of our lead- 
ing veterinarians. In a locality where eharbon has appeared all 
stock should at once be inoculated with Pasteur's anthrax vac- 
cine. By vaccinating all unaffected animals and immediately 
burning all dead bodies, a check can very quickly be made in 
the spread of this dread disease. 

TEXAS, OE SPLENETIC FEVER. 

This is a specific fever communicated by cattle which have 
been moved northward from the infected district, or which is 
contracted by cattle taken into the infected districts from other 
parts of the world. It is characterized by a high fever, greatly 
enlarged spleen, destruction of the red blood corpuscles, escape 
of the coloring matter of the blood through the kidneys, giving 
the unrine a deep color; by a yellowness of the mucus membranes 
and fat; by a rapid loss of strength, and by fatal results in a 
large majority of cases. This disease has various names in dif- 
ferent parts of the country, as Spanish fever, acclimation fever, 
red water, bloody murrian, etc. 

As early as 1814 the people of Virginia prohibited cattle from 
a certain district in South Carolina from passing through their 
State, on account of these cattle so certainly diseasing all others 
with which they mix in their progress to the north; while these 
cattle were in perfect health, they gave to all others, whether 
from Europe or the Northern States, a disease that generally 
proved fatal. Similar observations have been made in regard to 
nearly all of the Southern States, and it is now known that the 
infection is not peculiar to Texas or even the Gulf coast, but that 
it extends far inward and northward almost to the southern 
limit of Maryland. On account of the frequent and severe losses 
following the driving of cattle from the infected districts in 
Texas into and across the Western States and territories, the 
name of Texas fever became attached to this disease. 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 309 

Northern cattle taken into the infected district contract this 
disease usually the first summer, and if milk cows or fat cattle, 
nearly all die. Calves are much more likely to recover than 
adult cattle. Calves which survive are not again attacked, as a 
rule, even after they become adult. Experience shows that the 
disease is not communicated by animals coming near or in con- 
tact with each other. Cattle from the infected district first in- 
fect the pastures, roads, cars, etc., by the mature cattle-tick 
dropping from their bodies; and susceptible cattle obtain the 
virus (poison) from the young ticks which hatch out from eggs 
deposited on the ground, and which crawl upon them. But if 
sufficient freezing takes place during the winter season, these 
infected pastures, etc., will be free from any attack next season, 
as all the ticks have been killed. 

The investigations made by the Bureau of Animal Industry 
prove that ticks which adhere to cattle from the infected dis- 
trict are the chief means of conveying the infection to non-in- 
fected cattle; that the disease is never transmitted by the saliva 
(spittle), the urine, or the manure through eating of foods con- 
taminated by these excretions. The feet of cattle are not capa- 
ble of carrying the germs. Grasses and pond water of the 
infected districts of the Southern States do not cause the disease 
when given to cattle. In studying the causation and prevention 
of this disease, the tick theory has attracted the most attention, 
and it stands to reason that if cattle could be freed from this 
parasite when leaving the infected district, they would not be able 
to cause the malady. That this is true has been conclusively 
proven by recent experiments in connection with the Texas Ex- 
periment Station near Bryan in co-operation with the Missouri 
Experiment Station at Columbia. Ten Texas cows covered with 
ticks were forced to swim through a large dipping vat made for 
such purposes, and afterwards sent by car to Columbia, Missouri. 
Missouri cattle were put in the pasture with the Texan cattle, 
and remained there for a period of 79 days, but failed to contract 



310 Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 

the disease. And throughout this period not a tick was found 
on the Missouri cattle: nor could any be found on the. Texas cat- 
tle, save a few brought with them, which soon disappeared. It 
would appear from this experiment that great benefits would 
accrue to the cattle and farming industry of the whole country 
from the dipping process: the danger of infecting northern ter- 
ritory in the transfer of these animals would be overcome; a mar- 
ket previously closed would be opened to summer feeders in the 
Xorth, in seasons of abundance of corn and grass and a scarcity 
of cattle. 

Nature and Cause. — Texas fever is caused by a micro-parasite 
-{little animal living on another) which lives within the red blood- 
corpuscles and destroys them. It is therefore a disease of the 
blood. The little organism is carried and introduced into the 
blood of animals by the cattle tick (boophilus bovis) which may 
be found on nearly all Texas cattle. It is not. therefore, a micro- 
scopic plant, but it belongs to the lowest form of animal life. 
This very little animal multiplies very rapidly in the body of the 
infected animal, and in severe cases causes .great destruction of 
the red blood corpuscles in a short time. 

All the disease processes which go on in Texas fever, as seen by 
examining the organs after death, all result from the destruction 
of red blood-corpuscles. "When this destruction is rapid, we have 
the acute, usually fatal, type of Texas fever, usually witnessed 
during the latter weeks of August and the early weeks of Septem- 
ber. Cases of the mild type occurring early in the season usually 
become acute later on and terminate fatally. 

Symptoms. — The disease first shows itself in dullness, loss of 
appetite, and a tendency to leave the herd and stand or lie down 
alone. The temperature of the body, taken per rectum by a 
fever thermometer (Tig. 19), shows an elevation, in acute cases, 
to 106-10? degrees Fahrenheit. "When the temperature does not 



Dr. LeGtEAr's Stock Book. 311 

rise above 104 degrees Fahrenheit, the disease is milder and 
more prolonged. The bowels are usually constipated, and to- 
ward the fatal end the feces may become softer and tinged with 
bile. The urine near the fatal termination is deeply stained with 
the coloring matter of the blood, while during the course of the 
disease it may be quite natural in color. The pulse, as well as 
the breathing, is also quickened. As the end approaches the 
animal becomes very weak and stupid, the blood is thin and 
Avatery, and the poor sufferer may lie down most of the time, or 
until death takes place. 

Examination after Death. — It is very important at times to 
know whether an animal died of Texas fever or some other dis- 
ease. This can as a rule be determined at once by a thorough 
microscopic examination of the blood. But as this method is en- 
tirely in the hands of experts, the general reader will have to 
depend on certain changes caused by this disease, which may be 
detected by the naked eye when the animal is opened. These 
changes in the internal organs are as follows: The spleen or 
milt is much larger than in a healthy state, weighing three or 
four times as much, and its contents or pulp consists of a mottled 
blackish mass. The liver is also found to be enlarged, has lost 
its natural brownish color, and has on its surface a paler, yel- 
lowish hue. The gall bladder is found to be fully distended with 
bile of a cloudy or flaky consistency. The contents of the blad- 
der should be examined. This usually contains urine which 
varies in color from a deep port wine to a light claret. These 
are the principal changes and sufficient proof of the trouble. 

Prevention. — According to the latest experiments, Texas fever 
is carried north only by the cattle tick. Hence, to prevent Texas 
fever north of the quarantine line, the pastures, etc., must be 
kept free from cattle ticks, and to do this, no Southern cattle 
with ticks must be allowed upon them. Cattle cars may also be 



312 Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 

the means of conveying ticks from one part of the country to 
another. Knowing that Southern cattle when free from ticks 
are harmless to Northern cattle, various experiments have been 
going on as to the best means of destroying these ticks. The 
dipping process, up to the present time, has proven the most 
effectual . All cattle, before being shipped Xorth, should be 
dipped in a vat made for the purpose, when they can be safely 
taken into non-infected territory. 

Treatment. — When once the disease has broken out, the heal- 
thy should be separated from the sick animals and put upon non- 
infected pastures. While this may not cut short the disease, it 
may save the lives of some by removing them from the possibility 
of being attacked by more young ticks; also prevents a second 
later attack in October or November, which is caused by another 
generation of ticks. As far as possible, remove all ticks from 
the sick and well animals. To accomplish this, apply some oil, 
as cottonseed oil or black machine oil, with a paint brush, to 
those parts usually affected. The giving of sulphur is said to 
cause the ticks to loosen their hold and drop off. Medicinal 
treatment, so far, has been useless, as nearly all animals having 
the acute form of the disease die. It is quite probable that the 
blood serum (sero-vaccine) treatment by vaccination, lately com- 
ing into use, will produce immunity from the disease. This is 
a departure from all the methods previously employed in this dis- 
ease. It is simply a test of a law laid down by Behring, namely, 
that if an animal has acquired immunity against a disease pro- 
ducing micro-organisms or its toxins, the serum from the blood 
of the immunized animal will prevent the disease in another sus- 
ceptible animal. 

How well we know that immunity (proof) from smallpox is 
acquired by vaccination; also the anti-toxin treatment in the 
cure and prevention of diphtheria, So we believe the same re- 
sults can be obtained by what may be called the "anti-toxin" or 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 313 

"serum" method of treatment in Texas fever. It is true that 
Texas fever is caused by an animal parasite (protozoon); while 
in diphtheria, the cause is a vegetable parasite (bactera). This 
difference in the nature of the cause of these two diseases, has 
led most investigators to the belief that there must be a differ- 
ence in the process by which immunity is acquired. But the 
simple law of immunity will teach us that there can be no essen- 
tial difference in the process by which immunity is acquired 
against micro-organisms and poisons of any kind. Immunity 
against Texas fever is certainly acquired, and is fully as effective 
as that acquired against any of the bacterial diseases. In natur- 
ally acquired immunity against Texas fever the ticks have taken 
the place of the hypodermic syringe in the way of inoculation. 
The animal may while young, if the dam is immune, gain im- 
munity through the milk: and on Southern soil the ticks keep up 
the natural inoculations from year to year by which immunity 
from the disease is obtained. 

The serum used in this preventative treatment must be ob- 
tained from a Texas steer or cow, or any other animal that has 
had the disease and recovered, or is naturally immuned. It is in- 
jected or inoculated by a hypodermic syringe under the skin of 
the animal to be treated. This blood serum sets up a slow pro- 
cess of disease in the animal, and after sufficient has been in- 
jected to make the animal safe from an attack, the ticks that 
infest her body from year to year afterwards continue to keep 
the animal in a state of immunity. The serum is meant to tide 
them over the acclimation period, and can be prepared and used 
by any one having the apparatus and proper instruments. It 
can be obtained at the Texas Experiment Station, where they 
keep it on hand or prepare it fresh on short notice. 




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De. LeGeak's Stock Book. 315 



BOVINE TUBEKCULOSIS, OK ANIMAL CONSUMPTION. 

In speaking of consumption, it is generally understood io 
mean a disease of the human family characterized by an affection 
or "wasting away" of the lungs. But we may have consumption 
of other organs of the body as well, and so are the lower animals 
subject to this same disease. 

We are not sure of the exact time that this disease made its 
first appearance, but it has been known for many centuries, and 
legislative enactments having reference to the destruction of af- 
fected animals and forbidding the use of the flesh date far back 
into the Middle Ages. 

Nature and Cause. — All kinds of theories prevailed as to the 
nature and cause of consumption until Robert Koch, in 1882, 
proved it to be a disease due to a germ (bacillus tuberculosis) 
and that this germ caused the disease in all the lower animals 
and in man. This wonderful discovery at once put an end to all 
disputes and controversies as to it causation. The germ is a 
slender, rod-like body, so small that it can not be .seen with the 
naked eye. When it has become lodged in any organ or tissue 
it begins to multiply, setting up an irritation which leads to the 
formation of little nodules or tubercles; these, when full grown, 
are about the size of a millet seed. When these tubercles con- 
tinue to form in large numbers they run together, forming 
masses of various sizes. 

There are several ways in which these germs may find their 
way into the body: First, by inhalation into the lungs; second, 
into the digestive tract in the milk of consumptive cows. Other 
ways could be given, but the two named arc the most common 
modes of infection. 

II has been shown by thousands of experiments that the dis- 
21 



316 Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 

ease is transmissible from one animal to another of the same 
species, and from one species to another. Xo matter how the 
germs may enter the system, whether inhaled, taken in with food 
or inoculated, the disease is liable to ensue. A consumptive ani- 
mal placed among animals communicates the disease to those 
previously healthy. Milk from an affected cow fed to cats, 
calves, hogs, guinea pigs, etc., produces the disease in them. In- 
oculating the infected milk into other animals produces the dis- 
ease. Sputa coughed up by man and carelessly spit out has been 
licked up and devoured by animals and produced the disease in 
them. 

When the stomach, intestines and mesenteric glands are dis- 
eased, it is probably the result of food infection. The germs of 
the disease may have been scattered upon the feed by diseased 
animals. But the milk of consumptive cows is the most common 
source of such infection. Calves may become infected in this 
way, and the disease may not develop until the animal becomes 
older. 

Up to a recent period the opinion prevailed that it was only 
milk from cows with diseased udders that was extremely dan- 
gerous, but the experiments of Professor Ernst of Harvard Uni- 
versity and many others have demonstrated the fact that milk 
from a consumptive cow may contain the germs, even though the 
udder is absolutely free from disease. 

TThile we believe in the germ theory, yet there are conditions 
which must be recognized as almost necessary to an attack of the 
disease. Unsanitary conditions, such as overcrowding in poorly 
ventilated and lighted stables, and feeding of food that is not 
nutritious are conditions which favor the germs in their attack. 
Any injury to the lungs such as inhalation of dust and smoke 
and all conditions which may induce chronic inflammation of 
the bronchial tubes. 

Of all points in the subject none seem to be more assailed than 
heredity. There has been no positive proof of the disease having 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 317 

"been inherited, but it is a fact nevertheless, and one of almost 
daily occurence, that the disease reaps its harvest among the off- 
spring of consumptive parents. A weakly, consumptive parent 
generally transmits a similar constitution, which is extremely 
liable to the disease; and when it appears at an early age those 
who believe in heredity think that there has been an "hereditary 
infection" instead of an early "direct infection." Among the 
wild herds of the plains consumption is practically unknown, 
while among the cows of closely confined dairy herds it is quite 
common. 

Prevalence, etc. — Consumption, whether in man or the lower 
animals, is a disease prevalent in all civilized countries. In some 
countries, such as the northern part of Norway and Sweden, on 
the steppes of eastern Europe and Eussia, in Sicily and Iceland 
it is said to be quite rare. 

Where cattle are few, or absent, consumption is relatively less 
in man. Dr. Burich pointed out the fact in countries like Aus- 
tralia and the Sandwich Islands consumption among the people 
did not exist until after dairy cattle were introduced. He also 
called attention to the fact that consumption prevails in all coun- 
tries where the dairy products are derived from cattle. He fur- 
ther says: Morocco, where there are no European dairy cows, 
is exempt from consumption, while in Spain and Portugal, where 
dairying is carried on in European style, the disease exists. 

In most countries an effort is now being made to determine 
more accurately the prevalence of the disease. Statistics show 
that 75 per cent of old dairy cows in Germany have tuberculosis. 
In Denmark nearly 40 per cent of the cattle have been found to 
be consumptive. Some herds tested in the United States showed 
that 32 per cent were affected. Some herds tested proved to be 
entirely free from the disease. Of all the cattle killed in Ger- 
many at the slaughter houses from If) to 25 per cent have been 
found affected. 



318 Dr. LeGeab's Stock Book. 

In the West and Southwest of our country, where cattle are 
reared mostly in the open air, the disease is apparently quite rare, 
as most of the animals are able in a measure to resist the con- 
tagion, and only occasional animals in a herd show any physical 
signs of the disease. 

Symptoms. — In the first stages of the disease it is very diffi- 
cult to detect. It is a disease slow in its course, and at first un- 
noticed; many cases never show any symptoms, and are found 
only to be tuberculosis when killed. In those animals showing 
symptoms there is generally a dry, hoarse cough, at first slight, 
occurring after feeding or drinking; it may be easily excited by 
running the animal. As the disease progresses, the animal grows 
thin and has an unthrifty appearance of the coat, etc.; this per- 
sists in spite of good feed. The cough now becomes more fre- 
quent and the breathing more rapid, especially on slight exer- 
tion; the breath becomes offensive, and usually there is a dis- 
charge from the nose. Weakness continually increases, followed 
by disorder of digestion — bloating and diarrhoea — and the ani- 
mal finally dies from exhaustion. Often all symptoms are want- 
ing in spite of the existence of the disease, and in such cases the 
tuberculin test must be used. 

Tuberculin Test. — Tuberculin is a glycerine extract of the 
culture of the bacillus tuberculosis (germ of the disease), and 
when injected under the skin it has the property of causing a 
rise in temperature in all animals suffering from this disease. 
It is also known as Koch's lymph. In animals free from the 
disease no reaction takes place after the use of the tuberculin. It 
is therefore a valuable agent for detecting all tuberculous cattle 
in an infected herd, and is the only means by which this can be 
accomplished. 

In 1890 Koch, under pressure, made public his work on tu- 
berculin. This resulted in a tremendous and intense excite- 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 319 

ment all over the world, and consumptives undertook journeys 
of hundreds of miles for the sake of being treated with the new 
cure for consumption. It was noticed by several observers that 
when a person suffering from consumption received an injec- 
tion of the lymph, it invariably caused a rise in temperature; 
and in 1891 Gutman, a Russian, took advantage of this fact and 
began to make experiments with it as a diagnostic agent in cattle; 
and as a result of which, we are able to detect the slightest 
forms of the disease. 

On account of the deep-seated tubercles usually existing with 
superficial ones, they render tuberculin almost useless as a cura- 
tive agent, since, to eradicate the disease, the deep-seated tuber- 
cles must be afterwards removed by surgical means. 

But this action which renders tuberculin so objectionable as 
a curative agent, makes it of the highest value as a test of tu- 
berculosis in cattle. The minute (small) dose which has no 
effect on a healthy cow, sheep or goat, when employed on the 
slightly tuberculous one, produces an acceleration of the disease 
process, and in eight to fifteen hours a material rise of tempera- 
ture. 

This has been now employed on thosuands of cows, and those 
who have used it most value it the most highly; whereas many 
who at first reported reactions in non-tuberculous animals are 
now acknowledging with Nocard, one of the best veterinarians in 
Europe, that the fault has been mainly their own, for the tuber- 
cles were present, but were overlooked through careless and 
faulty post mortems. 

The explanation of the reaction under tuberculin may be sim- 
ply stated as follows: The dose is so small that it will not affect 
a healthy cow under ordinary conditions. In the slightly dis- 
eased cow the system contains a certain amount of tuberculin 
produced by the bacillus (germ) in the tubercles, or nodules, 
but to this the system has become accustomed and it causes no 
appreciable fever. But when, in addition to this, we introduce 



320 Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 

into the body of the cow the small amount of tuberculin used 
for the test, the increased dose acts on tubercle and nerve cen- 
ters alike, and a fever is produced. 

Post Mortem. — An examination after death of internal organs 
should always be made on any animal that dies, or which has 
been slaughtered, presenting the above symptoms, which will 
generally enable even the inexperienced to recognize this disease 
if present. In advanced cases the principal changes are usually 
found in. the lungs and the lymphatic glands or in connection 
with the same. The surface or substance of the lung will gen- 
erally show solid cheese-like masses of varying size. A favorite 
situation for these tubercular masses is in the glands between 
and at the root of the lung. They may also be found in the ab- 
dominal organs; in fact, the germs of the disease may find lodg- 
ment in any organ of the body. 

Treatment. — Inasmuch as there is no specific for this disease, 
it is of the utmost importance that all animals, as far as pos- 
sible, be protected from the contagion. The difficulty of know- 
ing when cattle first become affected makes it impossible (except 
by the tuberculin test) to prevent the possibility of infection. 
Too much care can not be bestowed upon the breeding, the sur- 
roundings, and the food of the animal so that the latter may 
be the more able to resist infection even when exposed to it. 
A rigid exclusion of tuberculous animals is all that is necessary 
to prevent the appearance of the disease, provided consumptive 
persons or other animals do not infect the cattle. 

The carcasses of all animals which have died of consumption 
should be burned or buried deeply, so that other animals can not 
eat them. Hogs, dogs, cats, etc., eating such carcasses and con- 
tracting the disease, may in turn give the disease to other ani- 
mals and man. 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 321 

Danger in Milk. — It is plain that the only means we have to 
insure a safe milk supply to consumers is the inspection of the 
source of the milk — the cow. The examination of the milk it- 
self would be a farce, for the simple reason that the time required 
for microscopical examination and chemical analyses of all milk 
sold would make such tests utterly impossible and impracticable. 
We need not fear intentional or criminal adulteration of milk by 
the dairyman; he will add nothing harmful to human health; 
it is the cow we must fear, and in order to make inspection of 
benefit to humanity, the cow should be ascertained to be free 
from consumption beyond all doubt. Happily for mankind, this 
is being done all the world over with perfect success. The "tu- 
berculin test" applied to the cows at regular intervals will enable 
the disease to be kept out of the herd. People who have had no 
experience with tuberculin may talk against it and argue against 
it, but their idle boasting, wild statements, and pretended knowl- 
edge do not do away with the fact that tuberculin is a reliable 
diagnostic for bovine (cattle) consumption, and has been proven 
to be such in proper hands so invariably that all civilized gov- 
ernments, including our own, employ it in their official work 
in connection with consumption. 

Cattle consumption is a question that must come under State 
supervision sooner or later. There can be no doubt of the con- 
tagious and infectious nature of the disease, and hence the State 
and local boards of health should have their powers enlarged to 
be able to handle the question. There is no reason why con- 
sumers of milk should continue to daily run the risk they now 
do, when it is only necessary for the city council to pass an or- 
dinance creating the office of dairy inspector, whose duty it 
should be to test all cows in dairies supplying milk to consumers 
and see that no milk is sold which does not come from cows 
proven to be free from consumption. 



322 Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 

Danger in Meat. — The flesh is not so dangerous as the milk of 
tuberculous cows. It is quite rare to find tubercle in the sub- 
stance of the muscle of cattle. The} 7 are common, however, in 
the lymphatic glands lying between the muscles; but in swine 
they are common, even in the red flesh. The flesh of tuberculous 
pigs is therefore far more dangerous than that of consumptive 
cattle. 

A further safeguard against the eating of the flesh of animals 
is that it is cooked before it is eaten, while milk as a general 
thing is not. In meat that is thoroughly cooked, all the germs 
of the disease are destroyed. Thoroughly cooking or boiling the 
milk renders it entirely safe to be used as an article of food. 

BLACKLEG— BLACK QUARTER. 

Blackleg is a very fatal and infectious disease of young cattle, 
which is at the present time causing considerable mortality among 
calves and young cattle in various portions of Texas, as well as 
in other States of the Union. It is a world-wide disease, causing 
large losses among young cattle in Germany, France, Italy, Bel- 
gium, Australia, England, etc. In this country it is known by 
various names, such as blackleg, black quarter, quarter evil, quar- 
ter ill, symptomatic anthrax, etc. Until within the last few years 
it was considered identical to anthrax, but it is now proven to be 
a specific disease produced by bacilli (germs), Avhich are easily 
distinguished from anthrax bacilli. Cattle between six months 
and four years of age are most susceptible to the disease. Certain 
pastures and districts are more favorable to the growth of the 
bacillus, therefore the disease is more common there. Swamps, 
bottom lands, or any low lands along streams that are subject to 
inundations and floods are the most frequent places for outbreaks 
of the disease, although it will occur in any locality regardless 
of soil, location, altitude, etc. 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 323 

Causes. — Blackleg is eausd by a bacillus, which is a micro- 
scopic organism, or bacteria, visible only by the use of a power- 
ful microscope. The bacilli are cylindrical or rod-like bodies 
and have the power of indefinite multiplication, and in the body 
of an infected animal they produce death by rapidly increasing 
in number and producing substances which poison the body. 
In the body they multiply in number by becoming elongated and 
then dividing into two, each new germ continuing the same pro- 
cess indefinitely. They will grow and multiply outside the body 
when in a favorable locality and position for growth. Oval bodies 
appear within the bacilli, which are called spores (seeds), and 
which remain alive and grow and produce the disease after sev- 
eral years of drying. They have a wonderful power of resist- 
ance against heat and cold, as it takes boiling water to destroy 
them. These spores often collect in sufficient numbers in feed 
and cause serious outbreaks of blackleg among stall-fed cattle. 

There is practically no danger of a transmission of this disease 
from one animal to another, since it is contracted on the pas- 
tures from the ground and in the stables from the food. The 
bacilli, if not already in the soil, finds its way on to a farm or 
ranch in what appears at times to be the most unaccountable 
way. Throwing carcasses of animals that have died of blackleg 
into running streams, or shallow burial near running streams, 
is a fertile source of infection to pastures along such streams be- 
low. Dogs or wild animals may dig up carcasses not buried deep 
and scatter the bacilli and spores over the pastures. M. Pasteur 
by a series of experiments has proven that earth worms bring the 
spores to the surface which remain a source of danger to all 
young cattle that graze in the vicinity. Before the disease can 
be produced the germs must gain entrance to the animal's sys- 
tem by some means. They may enter the system through sores 
and abrasions on the feet or legs of animals as they walk over the 
pastures or through mud and water. The most common source 
of entry of the bacilli is with the food and water. There may 



324 Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 

be small sores or Abrasions on the lips, tongue, cheeks, throat, 
or any abraded surface, or ulcers in the stomach or bowels 
through which the bacilli gain entrance to the blood, and when 
once in the blood they multiply very rapidly and cause death 
quickly. 

Symptoms. — The disease is generally produced in from one to 
three days after the animal is infected, and death most always 
follows in from one to three days after the disease sets in. The 
first symptom of the disease shown is loss of appetite and rumi- 
nation, with dullness and debility and a high fever. The most 
noticeable symptom is the appearance of a tumor or swelling 
under the skin, which may appear before the animal is noticed 
sick, or shortly after. This tumor may be located on the neck, 
shoulder, breast, thigh, rump, flanks, etc., and when in connec- 
tion with the limbs causes stiffness and lameness. When the 
tumor is handled a peculiar crackling sound is heard under the 
skin, due to a collection of gas formed by the bacilli as they mul- 
tiply. The animal's breathing becomes difficult; there may be 
attacks of colic, and the animaFs weakness increases until death 
ends the scene, which may all take place in a few hours or in 
two or three days. 

Treatment. — Up to the present time medicinal treatment for 
Black Leg has been almost an utter failure. Nearly all animals 
attacked die. As the disease runs such a rapid course, the ani- 
mal is too near death before noticed sick for medicine to relieve. 
Since medicinal treatment is of little or no avail, prevention is 
the most important subject demanding consideration. When the 
disease breaks out, the healthy ones should at once be removed 
from the diseased. Those that die should be at once burned ^r 
buried deeply. All well animals under two years of age should 
be vaccinated with Pasteur's Black Leg Vaccine, which has 
proved to be a sure preventative against the disease. It is well 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 325 

known how human beings are protected from smallpox, by vac- 
cination. Yonng cattle can in the same way be protected against 
black leg by the use of a special vaccine which is a preparation of 
weakened virus discovered by Louis Pasteur, the great French 
scientist. This preventative inoculation is being extensively 
practiced in Texas and other States in the Union with very grati- 
fying results. In some districts the death rate from year to year 
has reached upwards of 30 per cent, but since Pasteur's Black 
Leg Vaccine has been used it is almost entirely overcome. Stat- 
istics show that out of 75,000 head of cattle vaccinated against 
black leg in Texas and other portions of the United States with 
Pasteur's Black Leg Vaccine, less than one-third of 1 per cent 
died from the disease, while over 10 per cent of unvaccinated 
cattle died in the same districts from black leg. 

Vaccine is put up in a fine white powder to be dissovled in a 
little water at .the time of using. Vaccination consists of two- 
inoculations about ten days apart, by the use of a graduated 
hypodermic syringe. The most suitable and convenient places- 
for the inoculation are in the shoulders, ears or tail. The most 
convenient time for vaccinating is at branding time, when one 
inoculation can be given, and the second given ten days later. 
The operation can be easily and quickly done in the chute, and 
when once properly vaccinated the animal is proof against the- 
disease through life. All spring and summer calves should be 
vaccinated at the fall branding, as black leg generally begins 
late in the fall and is liable to break out at any time during the 
fall, winter, or spring. The operation is perfectly harmless to- 
the animal and causes no sore or sickness. It is not advisable 
to vaccinate during very hot or very cold weather, but at most 
any other time it is perfectly safe. 

[Any one wishing further particulars regarding the use, price, 
etc., of this vaccine can address Dr. L. D. LeGear, Austin, Texas, 
who is Texas agent for Pasteur's Black Leg Vaccine.] 



326 Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 



VAEIOLA VACCINA (COW POX). 

This disease, commonly known as cow pox, is more common 
among cattle than any other class of animals. It is an eruptive 
pustular disease, usually found in connection with the udder 
(bag). 

Cause. — It is caused by contagion, which exists only in the 
fixed form. 

Symptoms. — There is usually a slight fever, the flow of milk 
is arrested, and the appetite is impaired. The skin of the udder 
and teats presents a reddened appearance, and soon red patches 
occur, known as papulae. This is the papular stage and lasts 
three or four days. The papulae gradually take on the character 
of vesicles, becoming filled with serum (a watery fluid), and, like 
the vesicles in horse pox, are depressed in the center, as though 
bound down. This stage is the vesicular or second stage of the 
disease. The vesicles gradually become pustules, and the third 
or pustular stage of the disease is now reached. As many as five 
of these pustules may be upon one teat, and each the size of a 
finger. 

Treatment. — As a general thing but little treatment is neces- 
sary. The animal should be fed upon food of a laxative nature. 
Great care must be taken not to expose the animal to draughts 
of cold air, taking cold, etc. If the teats are so sore as to be 
very painful in milking, use the teat syphon, which should be 
nicely oiled and gently passed up the teat, when the milk will 
come away of itself. Anoint the sores on the teats and udder 
nicely twice a day with carbolized vaseline. Separate the ani- 
mals from other animals^ and the milk should not be used. 
The attendant should not be allowed to attend to animals un- 



Dk. LeG-eak's Stock Book. 327 

affected, as the disease can in this way be carried from one animal 
to another. The lymph or vaccine matter used to vaccinate' 
people for purposes of protection against smallpox is obtained 
from cattle suffering from this disease. One attack gives proof 
against subsequent attacks. 

ACTINOMYCOSIS —LUMP- JAW. 

Lump-jaw is the formation of a peculiar tumor on the head, 
more often the lower jaw. In some cases the soft tissues only 
are affected, while in others the bone is diseased, the latter being 
far more serious. In these latter cases the bone swells out and 
becomes porous and honeycomb-like, and later on the jaw teeth 
will become loose and fall out from the results of the bone 
spreading away from the teeth. 

Causes. — Lump-jaw is caused by a germ or fungus (actino- 
myces or ray-fungus) which gets into the body from the food 
or by an abrasion of the skin. It generally gains access through 
a hollow tooth, and the germs, once in the jaw-bone, begin to 
grow and multiply and disease the bone to such an extent that it 
begins to swell and enlarge, causing the regular lump-jaw tumor. 
These germs have frequently been found on the straw of certain 
kinds of grain and grasses. 

Symptoms. — The first .symptom noticed in an enlargement on 
the jaw. It may appear suddenly and grow rapidly, or it may 
come on gradually and grow very slow. After a time they gen- 
erally break and discharge a thick matter, and soon form into a 
raw, unhealthy-looking sore. The matter that comes from the 
tumor contains great quantities of the germs, and if discharged 
on the pastures or in the feed troughs is dangerous to the other 
cattle. The disease is far more prevalent in certain districts and 
localities, as the germs are more prevalent in these places. An 



328 



De. LzGeae's Stock Book. 



animal affected with lump-jaw is unfitted for human food and is 
rejected by inspectors in all stock yards: therefore, as soon as 
they are noticed with the disease, they should either be thor- 
oughly treated or killed, as a recovery seldom, if ever, takes 
place without treatment. 





4 






<&f/t~J^/l: 




E ig. 5S. Two Cases of Lump- Jaw. 



Treatment. — This is a disease unless properly treated, vei 
seldom if ever recovers. If the tumor is just in the soft tissues 
about the head, it can be cured by thoroughly cutting it out. 
This operation should be undertaken only by a qualified man. as 
there are many large and importani blood vessels about the head. 
which, if cut, would cause serious trouble. If the tumor affects 
both the bone and soft tissues, it can be cured in the majority : : 
:: ses, if taken in time, by thoroughly cutting it out and giving 
the animal iodide of potassium in 1-dram doses twice per day for 
one. two, or three weeks, as the case demands. The United 
States Bureau of Animal Industry has made extensive experi- 
ments with iodide of potassium in treating this disease, with 
gratifying results. The best treatment we have found is to thor- 
oughly dissect out the tumor and all the diseased portion of the 
bone that can be easily removed, and give iodide of potash in- 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 329 

ternally. The wound should be left open and washed off every 
day with soap and water, and some good antiseptic dressing ap- 
plied, as Dr. LeGear's Healing Lotion or Dr. LeGear's Screw 
Worm Powder. For an ordinary sized cow, give one dram of 
iodide of potash morning and night as a drench in 1 pint of 
water, or give 1J drams once a day. Give the medicine before 
feeding. After you have given the iodide for six or eight days 
you may notice a discharge from the nose and eyes and a scurf 
forming in the skin. When that is noticed, just stop giving for 
two days, when you can continue again as before. 

FUNGUS HAEMATODES, OR BLEEDING CANCER. 

This consists of a dark-colored, bloody-looking or vascular 
fungoid tumor protruding from the cavity of the eye. It is a 
malignant disease, and, fortunately, is very rare. The tumor, 
being removed, always has a tendency to return, and in fact does 
reappear in nearly every case. 

Causes. — It may follow several attacks of ophthalmia, by 
which it is thought to be caused; but, on account of its malig- 
nant nature, it is due, no doubt, to a certain morbid (unhealthy) 
condition of the blood. 

Symptoms. — First, there is a slight irritation of the eye, caus- 
ing a flow of tears; a small fungoid tumor soon puts in an appear- 
ance, growing steadily and rapidly, so that it soon pushes the 
eye aside and hangs down over the cheek. It gives an unsightly 
appearance to the eye. 

Treatment. — With a sharp knife remove the tumor, and if 
necessary the eyeball as well, and touch the parts with caustic 
potash, nitrate of silver, or the hot iron. To stop the bleeding, 
which is apt to be very profuse, use tincture of iron, acetate of 



330 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 



lead, or the hot iron. To be successful, the operation must be 
performed as soon as possible, and even then it is nearly always 
useless. The bones may become diseased also. In such cases, 
treat the same as that indicated for caries. It is very essential 
that all diseased structures be removed, or the treatment will not 
be successful. 




Dk. LeGeak's Stock Book. 331 

CHAPTER XXVI. 

MEDICINES. 

It is very necessary that every stock owner, more especially 
farmers that live some distance from town, should keep a few of 
the more important drugs and medicinal preparations on hand 
for cases of necessity and immediate use. Many a poor animal 
is ruined or dies for the want of proper medicines, used at the 
time the injury was inflicted or the disease commences; time 
saved is money saved in treating diseases of stock. 

MEASURING MEDICINES. 

60 drops make 1 teaspoonful. 

1 teaspoonful makes 1 dram. 
4 drams make 1 tablespoonful. 

2 tablespoonsful make 1 ounce. 
16 ounces make 1 pint. 

2 pints make 1 quart. 
4 quarts make 1 gallon. 

A wineglass will hold about two ounces; and an ordinary sized 
teacup will hold about 4 or 5 ounces. 

Below will be found a dose table, giving the average size doses 
of the more common drugs used in treating stock. Colts at one 
month old take about one twentieth of what a horse does; three 
months old, about one tenth; six months old, one fifth; one year 
old, one third; two years old, one half. Medicines given to suck- 
ling mares transmit the effects of it to the colt through the milk. 



22 



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1© to 15 drops Opinm. 

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1- 1 to 2 oonres 



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Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 



333 



Doses for the Cow of Drugs Commonly Used. 



Name of drug. 



Aconite, tincture of. 

Alcohol 

Ammonia. Aqua 

Antifebrin 

Belladonna. Fl.Ext. 

Carbolic Acid 

CastorOil 

Catechu 

Charcoal 

Chloroform 

Croton Oil 

Digitalis 

Ergot of Rye 

Epsom Salts 

Ether, Sulphuric... 

Gamboge 

Gentian 

Ginger 

Iodide of Potash 

Iron, Sulphate (cop- 
peras). 

Linseed Oil 

Laudanum 

Morphine 

Nux Vomica 

Opium 

Potassium, Chi* rate 

Potassium, Bromide 

Quinine 

Saltpetre 

Soda, Bicarbonate.... 

Soda, Hyposulphite 

Sweet Nitre 

Sulphur 

Turpentine 

Dr. LeGear's Colic 
Cure. 

Dr. LeGear's Con- 
dition Powders. 

Dr.LeGear's Worm 
Remedy. 



Action and uses. 



Febrifuge and sedative 

Stimulant and antiseptic 

Antacid and stimulant 

Febrifuge 

Anodyne and antispasmodic 

Antiseptic 

Laxative 

Astringent 

Antiseptic and deodorant 

Anaesthetic and anodyne 

Powerful purgative 

Heart sedative and diuretic 

Astringent and ecbolic 

Purgative and febrifuge 

Stimulant and antispasmodic 

Purgative 

Tonic 

Carminative and stomachic 

Diuretic, absorbent, alterative... 
Tonic and astringent 



Laxative and purgative 

Anodyne, antispasmodic, and as- 
tringent. 

Anodyne and antispasmodic 

Nerve tonic 

Anodyne and astringent 



Diuretic, antiseptic, alterative... 

Nerve sedative 

Febrifuge and tonic 

Diuretic and febrifuge 

Alterative and antacid 

Antiseptic 

Diuretic, stimulant, diaphoretic. 

Laxative and alterative 

Diuretic and stimulant 

Anodyne, antispasmodic, stimu- 
lant, and astringent. 
Tonic, diuretic, and alterative 



Worm destroyer 



Dose. 



20 to 3(>drops 

2 to 4 ounces 

3 to Ei drams.. 
3 to 4 drams.. 
3 to 6 drams.. 
15 to 3D drops 

1 to 2 pints... 

2 to 4 drams.. 

3 to 6 drams. 
I to 2 ounces 
V 2 to 1 dram.. 
Vz to 1 dram.. 
1 to 2 ounces 

I to 2 lbs 

1 to 2 ounces 
y % to 1 ounce 
3 to 6 drams.. 
1 to 2 ounces 
1 to 2 drams.. 



1 to 2 quarts 
1 to 2 ounces 

5 to 10 grains 

1 to 2 drams.. 

2 to 4 drams.. 

2 to 4 drams.. 
4 to 6drams.. 

1 to 2 drams. 

2 to 4 drams.. 

2 to 4 drams.. 

3 to 6 drams.. 
2 to 4 ounces 
1 to 4 ounces 
1 to 2 ounces 

1 to 2 ounces 

2 drams 



2 drams . 



Antidote. 



Alcohol, ether, 
[atropine. 



Eggs, gruel.oils. 



Opium, 



Atropine, bran- 
dy, belladonna. 







IE 



PART III. 



SHEEP DEPARTMENT, 



SHEEP DEPAKTMENT. 



In this de|>artment, as in the cattle department, we will not 
attempt a lengthy discussion of the varions breeds of sheep, but 
Avill give the more common diseases that the sheepmen of Texas 
have to contend with. Texas has about 1,843,678 sheep at pres- 
ent, and Western Texas is one of the best sheep districts in 
America. Owing to the free trade that was in force during 
Cleveland's administration wool dropped down to such low prices 
that most of the sheepmen had to quit the business and look to 
some other business for a livelihood. This of course decreased 
the number of sheep in America a great deal. Since a tariff has 
been levied on wool, the prices of wool and mutton have nearly 
doubled, therefore the sheepmen are enjoying good times again. 

Below will be found a few of the more common diseases of 
sheep : 



fp. 337 



338 Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 

CHAPTER XXVII. 
THE DISEASES OF SHEEP. 

SCAB, OR SCABIES. 

Scab, or scabies, is a very common disease in some countries, 
causing serious loss to sheep owners. It is very contagious, and 
the insects which cause the disease may remain in the pasture for 
years and then cause the trouble. Every precaution should be 
taken to keep the infection out of the flock. 

Causes. — This disease is purely of a local nature, and due to 
a parasite. This parasite or insect is of the class "dermato- 
dectes," which simply hold on to and prick the skin. This para- 
sitic insect is very small, and does to a certain extent burrow be- 
neath the outer layer (cuticle) of the skin, but never burrows 
very deeply. 

Symptoms. — Scab is easily detected, as the symptoms are 
very plain. The animal is very restless and uneasy, and will rub 
and scrach itself on some object or with its hoofs until the wool 
begins to fall off in patches. Examine the skin and it will be found 
to be considerably reddened and inflamed, with the formation of 
blisters which break and discharge a watery fluid (serum). These 
finally dry up and form sores or scabs, a characteristic sign of the 
disease. The whole fleece may drop off, or nearly so, and leave 
the poor animal a sight to behold. The animal loses flesh and 
spirits, becomes weak and debilitated, etc. 

Treatment. — It is not difficult to cure, if the treatment is 
thorough and of the proper kind. It is of the utmost importance 
to keep all animals that are free from the disease away from 



Dr. LeGe Ait's Stock Book. 339 

those affected, or off from infected pastures, as those free from 
the disease will contract it from those that have it. Also the 
pens should be thoroughly disinfected. 

A good effective remedy, though poisonous, is the following: 

White arsenic 5 pounds. 

Pearl ash 5 pounds. 

Soft soap 5 pounds. 

Sulphur 5 pounds. 

Boiling water 20 gallons. 

Mix, but don't inhale the fumes, and when cold add 
180 gallons of cold water, and stir until well mixed. 

This mixture must be put in a tank or dipping vat prepared 
for the purpose and the sheep dipped in it. Dip the sheep in 
such a way, back foremost, that the head will remain out, and 
leave in for at least one minute. As soon as the sheep is brought 
out of the bath, its wool should be thoroughly squeezed to rid it 
of all the liquid preparation possible before turning into a clean 
yard to dry. To reach every part not touched by the dip, go 
over the heads of the flock with the following: 

Mercurial ointment 1 pound. 

Oil of turpentine ^ pint. 

Eosin 1 pound. 

Lard 3 pounds. 

Mix, and apply to all parts of the head not touched 
by the dip. 

A tobacco dip as the following is a very good preparation: 

Tobacco leaves 20 pounds. 

Sulphur (> pounds. 

Pearl ash (> pounds. 

Soft soap (> pounds. 

Hot water 90 gallons. 

Mix. 



340 Dr. LeGtEar's Stock Book. 

In preparing the above, put the tobacco in the water and boil, 
and stir in the other ingredients while the liquid is still hot. 
In this dip the head may be dipped occasionally, while dipping 
the rest of the body. The sheep may remain in the liquor, as 
hot as can be borne, four or five minutes. 

A dip very much used in Australia, where immense flocks are 
kept, is the following: 



Tobacco leaves 10 pounds. 

Sulphur 10 pounds. 

Water 50 gallons. 

Boil the tobacco in the water, and add the sulphur 
while hot. 

THE SCAB LAW. 

The following is the new scab law passed by the Texas Legis- 
lature, May 7, 1897: 

An Act to prevent the introduction of scab disease among sheep 
in the State of Texas, and to prevent the spread of and secure 
the eradication of same, and providing a manner of examin- 
ing such animals, together with the manner of taxing and col- 
lecting costs therefor, and making it a misdemeanor to vio- 
late the provisions of this act, and prescribing penalties for 
such violation. 

Section 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of 
Texas: That from and after the passage of this act, it shall be 
unlawful to import into this State, or to move from one county 
to another, or to move from their accustomed range on to lands 
owned or leased by any person, without permission of such per- 
son, any flock of sheep in which one or more such animals are 
infected with scab, and any person or persons violating any of 
the provisions of this section shall be deemed guilty of a mis- 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 341 

demeanor, and upon conviction thereof, shall be fined in any 
sum not more than two hundred dollars for each such offense. 

Sec. 2. Any person having knowledge or notice of the exist- 
ence of scab on any sheep owned or in charge of such person, 
who shall fail or refuse to dip in some preparation known to be 
effectual in curing scab, all flocks of sheep in which one or more 
such are so infected, within twenty days after such knowledge 
or notice has been received, shall be deemed guilty of a misde- 
meanor, and upon conviction thereof shall be fined in any sum 
not less than one hundred nor more than two hundred dollars; 
provided, that every successive twenty days of failure or refusal 
to dip such sheep, under the provisions of this section, shall be 
€onsidered a separate offense. 

Sec. 3. For the purpose of determining the existence of scab, 
under the provisions of this act, and to serve notice on persons 
as provided in section 2, the justice of the peace having jurisdic- 
tion, upon complaint of any person owning or having charge of 
sheep, supported by affidavit as to his belief that a flock of sheep 
within such jurisdiction are infected with scab, shall forthwith 
issue order to a constable or some peace officer of his county, di- 
recting such officer to summon to his aid two persons having 
knowledge of scab, and to proceed with such persons and examine 
the sheep so designated, and to notify in writing the owner or 
person in charge of said sheep, of the result of such examination, 
and to return to the court of issue such order, showing how he 
has executed the same. 

Sec. 4. Any person refusing to permit the examination pro- 
vided for in section 3 of this act, or to place the sheep in pens 
for such purpose, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and 
upon conviction thereof, punished by fine of not less than one 
hundred nor more than two hundred dollars. 

Sec. 5. Upon return of the order provided for in section 3 of 
this act, the justice of the peace shall, if it states said sheep arc 



342 Dr. LeGtEAr's Stock Book. 

not infected, or that they have been dipped, within ten days next 
preceding such examination, dismiss such cause. But if such order 
states said sheep are infected with scab and have not been dipped 
within the ten preceding days, said justice of the peace shall 
issue warrant of arrest forthwith against the owner or person hav- 
ing said sheep in charge, and proceed as in other misdemeanor 
cases; provided, should defendant show, by competent testimony, 
that such infected sheep were held only on his own or accus- 
tomed range, and that he had dipped all flocks so infected, as 
provided in this act, within twenty days after receiving notice, 
or within ten days next preceding the serving of such notice, he 
shall upon payment of all accrued costs be discharged. 

Sec. 6. The constable or other peace officer and the person 
summoned to assist, shall receive as compensation for services 
performed under the provisions of this act, and for attendance 
at court as witnesses in such cases, the sum of two dollars and 
fifty cents per day for each day actually and necessarily so en- 
gaged, and such fees shall be taxed as costs against the owner 
of such sheep, and execution shall be issued; provided, in all 
cases where it is found such sheep are not infected or have been 
dipped within the ten days next preceding the examination so 
made, the costs and fees shall be taxed against the person who 
made the complaint, and execution shall so issue. 

Sec. 7. All laws and parts of laws in conflict with the pro- 
visions of this act be and the same are hereby repealed. 

FOOT ROT. 

Cause. — It is now believed to be caused by a parasite, and the 
other so-called causes, such as irritant soils, damp pastures, foul 
yards, etc., are believed to be only indirectly concerned in caus- 
ing this disease, from the fact that they probably constitute fav- 
orable grounds for the parasites to harbor in. 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 343 

Symptoms. — Lameness is noticed, and at the top of the cleft 
of the hoof it becomes red, moist, warm and rough, soon followed 
by a discharge, which ,soon becomes offensive and purulent, and 
the whole foot becomes a mass of corruption. The animal loses 
its appetite, and at length dies of exhaustion. 

Treatment. — Treatment should be begun early, and the first 
thing to do is to cut away all diseased parts, after which the af- 
fected part may be touched with the following solution: 

Chloride of zinc 2 drams. 

Water 1 pint. 

Or, 

Butter of antimony 1 part. 

Compound tincture of myrrh 1 part. 

Or, the following may be found very useful: 

Sulphate of copper -J pound. 

Acetate of copper ^ pound. 

Linseed oil ^ pint. 

Tar 1 pint. 

Solutions of carbolic acid, nitrate of silver, oil of vitriol, etc., 
may be found very useful also. 

If so desired, a foot bath may be used instead of the above, as 
follows: 

White arsenic 1 pound. 

Sodium carbonate 1 pound. 

Water 50 gallons. 

Or, 

Sulphate of copper 1 part. 

Water 50 parts. 



344 De. LeGeae's Stock Book. 

The sheep may be walked through a trough or vat containing 
either of the above solutions. 

The sheep should be kept in perfectly dry pens, and dry up- 
land pastures. 

EOT, OR LIVEE FLUKE. 

This condition is due to the presence of a parasite (Distoma 
hepaticum), or common liver fluke. These flukes, or parasites,, 
are the cause of the disease, and have a peculiar life-history. 
The fluke worm lays the eggs in the ducts (vessels) of the liver; 
these ova, or eggs, descend into the bowels and pass out with 
the feces; after which they gain entrance into the soft-bodied 
mollusks found in stagnant water. The sheep, on drinking the 
water, take into the stomach these mollusks, which contain the 
parasites of the disease. They soon gain access to the liver, and 
when developed deposit their eggs, to go the same round of 
existence again. These parasites, when full grown, vary in size 
from one-half to one inch in length, and may be two-thirds of 
an inch wide. 

Symptoms. — The animal is dull and inactive; there is yellow- 
ness of the lining membrane of the eye, best seen when the eyelid 
is pushed back; the abdomen becomes large and pendant (pot- 
bellied), the back becomes razor-like, the flanks tucked up, 
usually with dropsical swellings in different parts of the body. 
The breathing becomes quick and short, and the animal suffers 
from diarrhoea and great weakness, followed by stupor and 
death. 

Treatment. — Eemove the sheep to a high, dry pasture, and 
give them water to drink from a deep well. Feed on highly nu- 
tritive food. Prepare and give the following: 



De. LeGear's Stock Book. 345 

Epsom salts 2 ounces. 

Oil of turpentine 2 drams. 

Water 1 pint. 

Mix the salts and water together, add the turpentine, 
and give as a drench. Eepeat every other day until three 
doses have heen taken; then prepare the following: 

Oatmeal 40 pounds. 

Powdered gentian 2 pounds. 

Powdered anise seed 2 pounds. 

Common salt 4 pounds. 

Sulphate of iron 1 pound. 

Mix. Give of the above half a pint to each sheep once 
a day; wait three weeks, and repeat. Or, our Condition 
Powders may be given twice a day in the feed, instead of 
the above tonic. 

GRUB IjST THE HEAD. 

This disease is one of the most serious the sheep owner has to 
deal with, and one that needs close attention on the part of the 
farmer. 

Causes. — It is caused by the egg of the gadfly (Oestrus ovis) 
being deposited in the nostrils of the sheep during the summer 
months. From the eggs hatch maggots, which find their way up 
into the chambers (sinuses) of the head, causing much pain. 
Each larva (grub) is supplied with a pair of hooks on its head, 
by which it attaches itself to the lining membrane, of the cavity 
where it is lodged. It remains there nearly a year, when it falls 
to and buries itself in the soft ground, and in from thirty to forty 
days it hatches out into a gadfly. 



346 Dk. LeGeae's Stock Book. 

Symptoms. — When the sheep are attacked by gadflies, the ani- 
mals will crowd together, with their noses to the ground, stamp 
violently at times, or run from one part of the pasture to an- 
other. At other times they will lie down, with their nostrils 
"buried in the dust, etc. When the grubs get up into the head, 
and begin to mature, the animal soon shows signs of dullness, 
stands or lies down in one place nearly all the time, and notices 
bui little. The appetite is gone, the head lowered to and resting 
on the ground, or turned to one side (usually the side affected), 
and there is a discharge from the nose. If the animal can keep 
up its strength until the grubs are dislodged, or come away of 
themselves, recovery may take place; otherwise, death usually 
ends the scene. 

Treatment. — The grubs may be extracted by a qualified veter- 
inarian, but scarcely pays, except in the case of a valuable ani- 
mal. For this operation, a special instrument, called a trephine 
(see Fig. 3), must be used. With a .sharp knife make an incision 
through the skin over the cavity (sinus) that contains the grub, 
large enough to let the trephine down upon the bone. With this 
instrument a piece of the skull can be removed, after which the 
grubs may be easily taken out through the opening. The grubs 
should all be removed, the opening in the skin stitched and 
dressed as an ordinary wound. The grubs may often be dis- 
lodged, when they are not firmly fixed, by injecting up the- nos- 
trils equal parts of sweet oil and turpentine, but care must be 
taken not to strangle the sheep. Another means is to cause the 
animal to inhale smoke of some kind, to induce sneezing, which 
may dislodge them. But when the grubs are well up, and firmly 
attached, inhalations of smoke, or injections of liquid prepara- 
tions, are useless. 

Prevention. — The preventative mode of treatment in this dis- 
ease is of the utmost importance. Smear tar on the nose of each 



Dr. LeGeak's Stock Book. 347 

sheep, around the nostrils, which is distasteful to the fly, and 
death to the egg. Where the sheep are pasturing, always keep a 
piece of ground well plowed and pulverized, so that they can go 
at any time, when attacked by the gadflies, and bury their noses 
in the soft earth, to protect themselves from the insect. 

STURDY, OR GID. 

This disease is not so common in America as it is in England, 
probably from the fact that there- are fewer dogs in proportion to 
the population here than there. It is also known as turn-sick, 
hydatid of the brain, etc. 

Cause. — This dangerous disease is caused by the bladder worm 
— a form of tapeworm preceding the true or sexually perfect 
worm — which is developed from the tapeworm of the dog. This 
parasite (coenurus cerebrahs), if given to the dog, will produce 
a tapeworm, which, becoming fully developed, leaves the dog in 
pieces (segments), each ripe piece containing a large number of 
eggs. The eggs are picked up by the sheep whilst grazing or 
drinking. In the stomach its shell is dissolved, setting free the 
minute parasites, which soon find their way to the brain; it be- 
comes encysted (enclosed in a sac), and sets up a considerable 
amount of irritation. The disease is apt to be more common 
where dogs and sheep mix. The hydatid may attack any part of 
the brain, but usually locates itself in the upper part of one of 
the great lobes, or between them. 

Symptoms. — The affected animal is found off by itself, walk- 
ing in a circular manner, with the head carried to one side, if the 
hydatid is located in one of the lobes of the brain; when it is 
situated between them, the head is carried in. an elevated posi- 
iion. If the animal turns to the right, the. hydatid will usually 
23 



348 Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 

be found in the right lobe; if to the left, in the left lobe. If 
deeply situated in the middle of the brain, the animal will be 
apt to lower the head, instead of elevating it, as in the upper part. 
Sometimes the entire brain may become affected before death 
takes place. 

Treatment — About all that can be done is to make an opening 
down upon the hydatids (if they can be found) and draw them 
out in the water they are in, with a syringe; or, inject into the 
cyst containing the Iwdatid one-half teaspoonful of the follow- 
ing solution: 

Iodine 1 grain. 

Iodide of potash 5 grains. 

Water , 1 ounce. 

Mix. 




PART IV. 



SWINE DEPARTMENT. 



SWINE DEPARTMENT. 



CHAPTER XXVIII. 
THE DISEASES OF SWINE. 

HOG CHOLERA, AND SWINE PLAGUE. 

These are two separate diseases, but resemble each other very 
closely in their symptoms, and it requires an examination of the 
internal organs after death to clearly distinguish between them. 
They are not only similar in symptoms, but in their effect upon 
the bodies of diseased animals. It is not ,so important to the 
stock raiser to know whether his hogs are dying of hog cholera 
or swine plague, as the agents which destroy the germs that 
cause the disease in the one will generally destroy them in the 
other. The difficulty of distinguishing between the two diseases 
is, therefore, not a matter of much importance in controlling 
them. It is important, though, to know that one or the other of 
these maladies is present among the herd, because such knowl- 
edge will lead us to adopt proper treatment for such infectious 
diseases. 

The annual losses from hog cholera in the United States alone 
must be very heavy, although all diseases of swine are called 
cholera by most people, yet the researches of the Bureau of Ani- 
mal Industry have shown that there is another disease, known as 
swine plague, which is almost as common and fatal as hog chol- 
era. Hog cholera and swine plague affect hogs in all parts of 
the United States, and cause heavy losses, estimated to reach 
from $10,000,000 to $25,000,000 annually. 

Causes. — Both hog cholera and swine plague are caused by 
bacteria (vegetable parasites), which may be easily identified by 



352 Dk. LeGeak's Stock Book. 

persons accustomed to such researches. The hog cholera germs 
are slightly larger than those of swine plague. They are pro- 
vided with long, thread-like appendages, which enahle them to 
move rapidly in liquids, while the swine plague germs have no 
such organs, and are unahle to move in like manner. 

Both diseases are produced by injecting cultures (growths) of 
their respective germs directly into the blood vessels. 

From results of experiments with these two diseases, it has 
been found that the germs of hog cholera find their way into the 
bodies of swine mainly with the food and drink, and with the air; 
while those of swine plague are taken almost entirely with the 
air, or, in other words, they gain entrance through the lungs in 
nearly every case. 

Hog cholera germs are very hardy and vigorous, while those 
of swine plague are very delicate and easily destroyed. Hog 
cholera germs are able to multiply and live for a long time in the 
water of ponds and streams; they may live in the soil for at least 
three months, and amongst straw and litter for a much longer 
time; they withstand drying in a remarkable manner. Swine 
plague germs, on the contrary, soon perish in water or by drying; 
the temperature for their growth must be more constant, and 
every condition of life more favorable, than is required for the 
hog cholera germs. 

Symptoms. — In the most severe forms of the disease the ani- 
mals die very suddenly, either before sickness has been observed 
or after they have been ill but a few hours. Such cases are 
usually seen at the beginning of an outbreak. In the majority 
of cases the progress of the malady is slower, and, fortunately, 
giving an opportunity to observe the symptoms. There are no- 
ticed signs of fever, shivering, unwillingness to move, loss of 
appetite more or less, elevation of temperature, which may reach 
106 to 107 degrees Fahrenheit; the animals appear stupid and 
dull, and have a tendency to hide in the litter or bedding and 
remain covered by it. The bowels may be natural at first, but 



Dr. LeGeae's Stock Book. 353 

later there is generally a liquid and fetid (bad smelling) diar- 
rhoea, and persisting to the end. At first the eyes are congested 
and watery, but soon the secretion thickens, becomes yellowish, 
collects in the angles and sticks the lids together. The breath- 
ing is quicker than usual, acompanied by a cough, which, how- 
ever, is not very frequent, and generally heard when the animals 
are driven from their bed. The skin may be congested and red 
on different parts of the body, varying from a pinkish red to a 
dark red or purple. Sometimes there is an eruption, which 
leaves crusts or scabs of various sizes over the skin. There is a 
rapid loss of flesh, the animal grows weak, stands with arched 
back and the belly drawn up, and walks with a tottering, uncer- 
tain gait. There is less and less inclination or ability to move, 
and the weakness and exhaustion increase until death takes 
place. The course of these diseases vary from one* or two days 
to two or three weeks. 

Diagnosis. — When a disease breaks out among swine it is very 
important to know what it is. If several animals show symptoms 
similar to those already given, and the same disease has been 
affecting the hogs, on neighboring farms, we may be safe in say- 
ing that it is one or both of the diseases in question, since no 
other such disease has been recognized in this country. 

In anthrax districts there may be occasional outbreaks of the 
disea.se, in which there is great inflammation and swelling of 
the tongue, or of the throat, or simply a fever with no visible 
swellings. If the disease is anthrax, other animals, such as horses, 
cattle and sheep, will also be affected. 

The carcasses should be examined after death, and if project- 
ing, button-like ulcers are found in the large bowels, we know- 
that hog cholera is present. It must be remembered, however, 
that these ulcers are not found in the most acute cases, but only 
in the sub-acute and chronic, where life is prolonged a sufficient 
time for them to form. 1 1' there is inflammation of the lungs, and 



354 De. LeGeak's Stock Book. 

particularly if cheese-like masses are found in these organs, the 
disease is probably swine plague. 

Small blood spots in the tissues or scattered over the internal 
organs indicate hog cholera, while inflammation of the serous 
membranes indicates swine plague. 

The germs of hog cholera collect or grow in clumps in the 
blood vessels, which leads to a plugging of the smaller ones, with 
frequent rupture and escape of blood. This causes red spots to 
form where the blood leaves the vessels and collects in the solid 
tissues. In swine plague the bacteria are evenly diffused through 
the blood, never form plugs, and, therefore, bleeding from this 
cause is not seen. 

In hog cholera the first effect of the disease is believed to be 
upon the bowels, with secondary invasion of the lungs; in swine 
plague it is the reverse of this. 

Notwithstanding the difference in typical cases of the two dis- 
eases, there are many outbreaks where it is impossible to distin- 
guish betwen them, as both diseases may be affecting the same 
animal at the same time, or the changes may somewhat resemble 
both diseases. In such cases a diagnosis can be made only by 
microscopic examination and cultivation of the germs. 

Prognosis. — The result of an outbreak of this malady is im- 
portant to know, but difficult to state, as the losses will depend 
partly upon the ' susceptibility of the hogs to the disease and 
partly to the virulence of the contagion in the particular out- 
break. If the animals are very susceptible and the conia. ion very 
virulent, the loss even in large herds may reach 90 to 95, or even 
100 per cent in those cases where the disease is allowed to run its 
course. In milder outbreaks, or with the animals more capable of 
resisting the contagion, the losses vary from 20 to 60 per cent. 
More animals recover toward the end of an outbreak than at the 
beginning. A portion of those recovering will fatten, but others 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 355 

remain lean, stunted in their growth, or never hecome really- 
healthy animals. 

Treatment. — Like all diseases of this class, preventive treat- 
ment is far cheaper and in every way more satisfactory than 
medical treatment. Our great aim should be, therefore, to pre- 
vent the spread of infectious diseases. Every swine raiser should 
use the utmost precautions to prevent the introduction of these 
plagues into his herd. As soon as the hogs are found to be af- 
fected with hog cholera or swine plague, the lot or pens where 
they have been confined should be disinfected by dusting plenti- 
fully with dry, air slacked lime, or by sprinkling with a 6 per 
cent solution of crude carbolic acid. The animals should then 
all be moved into new quarters. If possible, the sick and appa- 
rently well should be separated before they are moved and put 
into different lots. This is not essential, but an aid to the treat- 
ment. Keep them in dry lots or pens where there is no mud, and 
above all no stagnant water. It is also advisable to keep these 
lots disinfected with carbolic acid or air slacked lime. 

The medical treatment must be begun as soon as possible, and 
the following formula will be found as good as any: 

Wood charcoal 1 pound. 

Sulphur 1 pound. 

Sodium chloride 2 pounds. 

Sodium bicarbonate 2 pounds. 

Sodium hyposulphite 2 pounds. 

Sodium sulphate 1 pound. 

Black antimony 1 pound. 

Mix. 

These ingredients should be completely pulverized and thor- 
oughly mixed. The dose of this mixture for a 200-pound hog 
is a large tablespoonful given once a day. For feed, corn alone 



356 Dk. LeGear's Stock Book. 

is not sufficient, but they should have at least once a day soft 
feed, as bran and middlings, or middlings and corn meal, or 
ground oats and corn mixed, and then stirring into this the 
proper quantity of medicine. Animals that are very sick and 
that will not come to feed should be drenched with the medicine 
shaken up with water. Great care should be exercised in drench- 
ing hogs or they will be suffocated. Do not put the hog on its 
back to drench it, but pull the cheek away from the teeth so as 
to form a pouch, into which the medicine may be slowly poured. 
From this pouch in the cheek the medicine will flow into the 
mouth, and as soon as the hog finds out what it is it will stop 
squealing and swallow. 

This medicine may also be employed to prevent an outbreak of 
the disease, and for such purpose should be put into the feed of 
the whole herd. See that each animal gets its proper share. 
Give this medieine a fair trial, and it will cure most of the ani- 
mals that are sick and will stop the progress of the disease in the 
herd. It is an excellent appetizer and stimulant of the processes 
of digestion and assimiliation, and when given to unthrifty hogs 
it increases the appetite, causes them to take on flesh and assume 
a thrifty appearance. 

TEICHINOSIS— TEICHINA. 

Perhaps no other parasite has attracted so much attention as 
the Trichina Spiralis, which lives rolled up in flesh; it is very 
small, nearly microscopic, varying from one-eighteenth to one- 
sixth of an inch in length. Trichina may be found in all 
animals, but usually in man, the hog, and the rat. If any of the 
flesh containing trichinae is eaten, the parasites are set free dur- 
ing the process of digestion. Their growth is extremely rapid, 
and each female lays an immense number of eggs. Fro.ni each 
egg the little worm is hatched, which bores through the walls of 



Dr. LeGtEar's Stock Book. 357 

the stomach, or of the bowels, and buries itself in the flesh, 
where it lies hidden until it is eaten and introduced into another 
stomach. 

Man obtains this disease through eating of the flesh of swine. 
The trichinae are not always destroyed by the ordinary methods 
of roasting, cooking, pickling, and smoking. Pork should al- 
ways be thoroughly cooked, as in this way the parasites will be 
destroyed: but there is always danger in eating partially cooked 
or raw pork and sausage. The use of the microscope is the surest 
and most reliable preventive against all danger. It appears 
that the heart, liver, kidneys, brain and fat of the pig are sel- 
dom, if ever, affected with trichinae. As a general thing, swine 
obtain trichina from rats, to which latter man, as the natural 
bearer, conveys them. 

Symptoms. — In man there is swelling and soreness of the 
muscles affected; great pain, emaciation and exhaustion; it is 
often mistaken for rheumatism. In the lower animals the 
symptoms are the same, but not so well marked; there is loss of 
appetite, the muscles are sore, stiffness in the hind quarters, and 
the animal is not inclined to move. If those affected live through 
the six weeks (the time it takes the little worm to become 
lodged in the muscle, after being set free from the egg in the 
stomach) they will recover. 

Treatment. — !N"ot much can be done. During the six weeks, 
stimulants, such as alcohol, in tablespoonful doses, may be given 
three times a day in gruel, and a teaspoonful of sulphur in the 
food morning and night. In the first stages of the disease, give 
our Worm Remedy in the feed night and morning, to rid the 
bowels of the worms before they find their way into the mus- 
cular system. 



358 Dk. LeGeak's Stock Book. 



MEASLES. 

Measles in swine is a different disease entirely to that called 
measles in man. 

Causes. — In swine, measles are caused by a parasite (the blad- 
der worm) from eating the eggs of the tapeworm of man (taenia 
solium) in its food; dogs also carry and void the eggs of the tape- 
worm, and hence care should be taken that swine do not eat 
their excrement. If the flesh of measly pork is not thoroughly 
cooked before being eaten by man, he is sure to be affected by 
tapeworm. Since there is always danger that some of the cysts 
may escape death in cooking, it is never safe to eat measly pork. 

This hydatid, or bladder worm (cysticercus cellulosa), is what 
forms measles in pigs; it becomes encysted in the muscles, brain, 
liver, lining membranes, etc. 

Symptoms. — The symptoms of the disease are a cough, run- 
ning from the eyes, discharge from the nose, and weakness of 
the hind quarters, with general debility. The cysts, some of 
which are about the size of a grain of barley, may be seen scat- 
tered through the muscles and other tissues of the pig. Their 
presence may sometimes be detected in the eye or under the 
tongue. When once encysted, further annoyance to the animal 
is stopped. 

Treatment. — But little can be done for this disease. If recog- 
nized at the beginning of an attack, the following powders might 
pass the eggs from the bowels: 

Sulphur 4 drams. 

Saltpetre \ dram. 

Mix, and give as one powder every day for two weeks. 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 359 

Swine should never be allowed to feed upon human excre- 
ment, nor pastured on land manured with the same. 

Some prefer turpentine in the treatment of measles. Two 
teaspoonsful may be given in swill if the hog can swallow; if he 
can not swallow, swab out his throat with equal parts of turpen- 
tine and oil. 




PART V. 



DOG DEPARTMENT. 




IMPORTED JOE FLOCKMASTER. 



DOG DEPARTMENT. 



CHAPTER XXIX. 

[ 

THE DISEASES OF DOGS. 

DOG DISTEMPEK. 

This a very common affection of the canine race, and it is 
often very fatal, especially among the finer breeds, where there 
has been close in-and-in breeding. It is usually seen in puppies 
under one year old, although age is no preventive. Distemper 
is a specific fever, and very contagious and wide-spread in its 
prevalence. It is of a catarrhal nature, usually affecting the 
mucous membranes of the head and digestive tract. Distemper 
usually runs a definite course, and generally terminates favorably 
when not accompanied by other diseases, but when complicated 
it is not very satisfactory to treat. Frequently dogs pass through 
life without contracting the disease, and one attack does not 
render the animal proof against a second one. The period of in- 
cubation (exposure) is from four days to three weeks, and that of 
duration from ten days to. two or three months. 

Causes. — That dog distemper is caused by a germ is quite cer- 
tain, although this specific microbe (germ) is not as yet very well 
understood. The virus (poison) of the disease has great vitality. 
and can be communicated from one dog to another by immedi- 
ate contact or through the air, or from a kennel in which the dis- 
eased dog has been kept. We are satisfied it is due to a specific 

24 [p. 363 1 



364 De. LeGeak's Stock Book. 

virus, although the surroundings have a great deal to do with it, 
such as improperly ventilated, damp kennels, etc., or improper 
feeding, especially that of a meat diet. Spring and fall are the 
most common seasons of the disease, and, as the annual bench 
shows are held then, we have more distemper than at other sea- 
sons of the year. 

Symptoms. — The principal symptoms in an uncomplicated 
case are catarrhal discharges from the eyes and nose, thin and 
watery at first, finally becoming muco-purulent ; high fever, rapid 
pulse, sneezing, dry hot nose, dullness, loss of appetite, etc. 
Complications usually accompany the disease, the most common 
ones being those of the respiratory organs, such as congestion, 
broncho-pneumonia, etc.: those of the digestive organs, such as 
gastritis, jaundice, enteritis, etc.; and those of the cerebro-spinal 
system, such as mengengitis, myelitis and chorea. There is a 
hard dry cough; bowels may be constipated, but diarrhoea is 
usually present, the discharge being very offensive. When skin 
eruptions occur, they are usually seen on the belly. 

Treatment. — There is no specific for distemper in dogs any 
more than there is in the horse. Good nursing is all important. 
Make the patient as comfortable as possible by placing him in a 
warm place, free from draughts of cold air, and feed him on nu- 
tritious food, such as eggs and milk beaten up together, beef tea, 
mutton broths, etc. Bulky food of any kind should be avoided. 
If the patient will not eat he should be fed with a spoon. The 
importance of pure air can not be over estimated, but cold air 
must be avoided. It is advisable to disinfect the kennel, or 
where the patient is kept, with a preparation of carbolic acid or 
lime. If constipation is present, give injections per rectum of 
warm soapsuds, oil, or glycerine; either will be found very use- 
ful in such cases. If a physic is necessary, give the following: 



De. LeGeae's Stock Book. 365 

Buckthorn syrup 4 drams. 

Castor oil 2 drams. 

Mix, and give at once with a large spoon. 

If there is still a tendency to constipation, the bowels may be 
kept regular on a diet of liver, oatmeal, etc.: also continue the 
injections per rectum. 

To reduce the high fever, from 5 to 8 grains of quinine may 
be given in a capsule at once, and follow up with the following 
in case of lung trouble: 

Quinine sulphate 2 grains. 

Muriate ammmonia 2 grains. 

Mix, and give in a capsule three times a day. 

A constant supply of pure drinking water is very essential, to 
which add two teaspoonsful of the chlorate of potash to every 
quart of water. 

In case of irritability of the stomach and bowels, and the ten- 
dency to vomiting, milk and limewater, beef tea, etc., are indi- 
cated; or give subnitrate of bismuth in 5-grain closes four times 
a day in case of persistent vomiting. 

If diarrhoea is present it may be relieved by teas] >oonful doses 
of paregoric combined with twice that quantity of prepared 
chalk and given as needed. 

The discharge from the eyes and nose should be washed off 
every day with clean borax water, and oftener if necessary. 

All changes in diet should be made cautiously. In convales- 
cence, tonics, such as cod liver oil, will be found especially valu- 
able. Other diseases setting in should be treated according to 
the nature of the complication. 

The following is a simple but a good remedy in most cases of 
distemper: 



366 Dr. LfiGfiAfi's Stock Book. 

Tincture of iron 1 ounce. 

Tincture of aconite ^ dram. 

Whiskey 3 ounce?. 

Mix. and give one teaspoonful three times per day. 

C ntinue this as long - the the fever and hard breathing: lasts. 

ECZEMA IS" DOGS. 

Eczema is a non-contagious disease :f the skin, characterized 
by formation of scabs with more or less irritation and itc hin ess. 

The sMn becomes reddened, moist, and swollen, and the disease 
has a tendency to spread oyer the body. 

Causes. — Eczema may be caused from any irritation of the 
skin, as applying caustic medicines, scratches, etc.. but comes 
more frequently from indigestion, injudicious feeding, want of 
rXTr:: ; e. and bad blood. Eczema is not contagious, but in cer- 
tain stages it may be transmitted to another dog by sleeping to- 
gether, foi some time. 

Symptoms.— There will be noticed great itchiness and a scurn- 
nes& and scabby condition of the skin, with falling out of the 
hair. Continuous scratching may form thickened rough por- 
tions of the skin devoid of hair. In some cases the skin becomes 
very much reddened and inflamed and causes the animal a great 
deal of discomfort. 

Treatment. — Great cleanliness is very essential in the treat- 
ment of eczema. Give the dog a clean bed to sleep on. and keef 
his kennel as clean as possible. Make a complete change in the 
food. If the animal is fat. reduce the food and give a light, cool- 
ing diet. If the animal is thin in flesh, give a good nutritious 



Dr. LeG-ear's Stock Book. 367 

diet. In some cases it is advisable to clip the hair all off short 
so as to be able to apply the external applications more easily 
and more effectually. Wash all affected parts thoroughly every 
morning with cold water and carbolic soap. After washing, dry 
off the skin and apply the following ointment: 

Oxide of zinc 1 ounce. 

Oil of tar 1 ounce. 

Flour of sulphur 1 ounce. 

Vaseline 4 ounces. 

Mix. 

Give internally 5 drops of Fowler's solution of arsenic morn- 
ing and evening. The following may also be tried: 

Creolin 1 ounce. 

Water 4 ounces. 

Mix, and apply every morning after washing. 

Some cases of eczema will be found very difficult to cure, but 
patience and continued treatment will be rewarded with success. 

MANGE— ITCH. 

Mange is a contagious disease of the skin, due to the presence 
of insects which burrow into the skin and cause irritation, and 
in some cases severe inflammation of the skin. 

Causes. — The disease is caused by the mange insect, which 
gains entrance into the skin, multiplies rapidly, and spreads 
over various parts of the body. Although the insects (mites) 
must be present to produce the disease, filth and unclean beds, 
kennels, etc., are important factors in causing the disease. One 



368 De. LeGeae's Stock Book. 

dog in a kennel affected with mange will soon infect all the 
others. 

Symptoms. — In certain stages mange is very hard to detect 
from eczema without a microscopical examination. There is in- 
tense itching, falling ont of the hair, rough, scabby, scaly skin., 
etc. When the insects burrow into the skin they cause a pimple 
or pustule, and on being scratched by the dog the pustule opens 
up and a small quantity of matter with the insect runs out. Ec- 
zema more commonly occurs in poor, debilitated dogs, while 
mange has no preference. The disease may attack any part of 
the body, but more commonly the head is first affected. In some 
cases the hair falls out and the animal emits a very offensive 
odor. The appetite is rarely lessened. As the disease progresses. 
loss of weight, debility, and impoverishment of the general sys- 
tem results. 

Treatment. — The bedding of the infected animal should be 
destroyed and the animal removed from all healthy ones. Wash 
the kennel, woodwork, etc., where the dog sleeps, with hot white- 
wash, into which put 1 ounce of pure carbolic acid to every gal- 
lon of whitewash. Wash the infected animal thoroughly with 
carbolic soap and water, and apply either of the following lo- 
tions once a dav for six or eight davs: 



- 



Creolin -1 drams. 

Methylated spirits 4 drams. 

Water 3 ounces. 

Mix. 

Or, 

Trikresol 30 drops. 

Water 6 ounces. 

Mix. 



Dr. LeGeab's Stock Book. 369 

Or, 

Sulphur 2 parts. 

Carbonate of potash 1 part. 

Oil of tar 1 part. 

Benzine 2 parts. 

Lard or oil 10 parts. 

Mix, and apply to all affected parts. 

Or, 

Iodide of sulphur 1 part. 

Glycerine 8 parts. 

Mix, and apply as above. 

Long hair must be closely clipped or shaved; the affected parts 
freely rubbed with soapsuds, allowed to remain on for twenty 
minutes or half an hour; crusts and scales are thus softened and 
removed by subsequent thorough scrubbing with warm water. 
As mange is a local affection, there is very little use in giving 
internal treatment. 

SPAYING BITCHES. 

This is an operation that is being quite extensively practiced 
among dog fanciers. If you have a bitch that you don't wish to 
breed from, you can prevent the unpleasantness and trouble of 
having her coming in heat (rutting), by having her spayed. A 
bitch can be spayed any time in suitable weather, except when 
they are in heat or with pup, after they are six months old. The 
operation can be performed in the side or in the centre of the 
belly. We prefer the last-named place of operating. A bitch 
should not be too fat. as it makes it much harder for the oper- 
ator and more dangerous to the bitch. If she is big and fat, shut 
her up for several days and feed her very little; or, let her run 
out, and feed nothing at all, to reduce her flesh. Feed nothing 



370 Dr. LeG-ear's Stock Book. 

for at least eighteen hours before operating, so the bowels will 
not be full. 

Some recommend hanging a bitch up by the hind legs, and 
others strap them upon a rack, but we prefer putting them to 
sleep on a table by the use of 1 part chloroform and 2 parts sul- 
phuric ether. If the bitch is large and strong, tie her legs and 
muzzle her, so she can't bite. If a small bitch, one man can hold 
her legs, Saturate a small, new sponge with the anaesthetic 
(chloroform and ether), put it down in a funnel made of tough 
paper, and shove her head down into the funnel and hold it there 
tight until she goes to sleep. Care should be taken not to give 
her too much, or she will never wake up. If she stops breathing, 
take the sponge away and throw water on her head and work her 
front legs. "When she is asleep, the hair, if long, should be 
clipped from the place of operation, which is best done between 
the last four teats. Wash off the skin with a weak solution of 
carbolic acid, and with a sharp, perfectly clean lance, cut through 
the skin and flesh into the abdominal cavity. Make a hole about 
two inches long; insert the finger and bring out the ovaries 
(prides), and remove them one at a time with a pair of dull scis- 
sors. Sponge off the blood nice and clean and draw the wound 
together by the use of silk sutures. The wound will heal in six 
or eight da} T s, when you can remove the stitches. It is well to 
wash the skin and wound nicely every day with soap and water, 
and apply a little of our Healing Lotion to cleanse the wound 
and heal it quickly Feed the bitch on light diet for four or five 
days after the operation, and keep her from running around a 
great deal. A spayed bitch will make the very best kind of a 
dog; they will be smart, quick, and intelligent. Occasionally, it 
will be noticed that a bitch, after being spayed, will come in heat 
once or twice, but this will pass off and not bother them any 
more. 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 371 



BABIES, OE HYDROPHOBIA. 

Rabies, which prevail chiefly among animals of the canine 
species, as the dog, wolf, fox, etc., is at the present time accepted 
as being an acute, infectious disease of the central nervous sys- 
tem, characterized by fever, a high degree of irritability and ex- 
citement, the presence of a spasm, generally a disposition to bite, 
great prostration, and finally death. Man, and all warm-blooded 
animals, are liable to this malady. It was called hydrophobia 
because it was supposed that the rabid (mad) animal had a dread 
or fear of water, which is not true, for it will drink water greed- 
ily to the very last, providing the power of deglutition (swal- 
lowing) is not lost. Rabies, which means "to rave/' being a far 
better name for the disease. 

History. — The antiquity of rabies i,s not exactly known. Aris- 
totle, Xenophon, Virgil, Horace, Ovid, and many others, in their 
writings, mention it as one of the maladies in their time. Then 
come the writings of Caelius Aurelianus, who treated all the im- 
portant questions relating to it in a most masterly manner. Af- 
ter him, centuries passed, during which time but little or noth- 
ing was added to the present knowledge of the subject. But 
toward the end of the last century investigations were renewed, 
and since then a great deal of light has been thrown upon the 
subject, especially by M. Pasteur, Koch, Williams, and many 
other noted men of our day. Rabies has recently been quite 
prevalent in England and in some of the United States of Amer- 
ica, while in Australia and New Zealand it is very rare. Until 
lately, it has been comparatively rare in Canada and in the Unit- 
ed States, while in Peru, Chili and some other countries it is 
very common. It has occurred in every State in this Union at 
some time or another during the present century, but, fortunate- 
ly, never to any alarming extent. 



372 De. LeGear's Stock Book. 

Causes. — The theory of a spontaneous development of rabies 
is still a question of controversy among our best authors. It is 
now universally accepted that the poison is communicated almost 
invariably by means of the bite of a rabid or infected animal. 
Climate does not appear in the lea,st to exert any amount of in- 
fluence over its production. It is very generally imagined by 
people that dogs are more liable to have the disease during very 
hot weather. Experience, however, proves that hot weather has 
not the slightest influence, so far as being the actual cause or 
producing the disease is concerned. Statistics show that Janu- 
ary and August, the coldest and hottest months, furnish the 
fewest eases. In Egypt and Syria, both very hot countries, the 
disease is unknown, and Greenland, on the other hand, being a 
very cold country, is also exempt. So far as is known, the con- 
tagious principle or virus exists only in the fixed form, and is 
fcund in every tissue of the body. In the brain, spinal cord, and 
saliva, it is found in its most potent forms, but its vitality is 
soon lost after death. We are justified in saying that hydro- 
phobia is a specific blood disease, due- to an unknown germ. As 
yet, the germ has not been isolated or cultivated, but, by the 
process of inoculation, sufficient proof has been found of its 
presence in the blood of an affected animal. This virus, without 
doubt, is developed in the saliva of all affected animals, and is in- 
oculated by a bite or by its coming in contact with an abrasion 
of the skin or mucous membrane, thus producing the disease in 
other animals and in man. The virus seems to be weakened in 
its transmission from one animal to another, so that the first 
bites of a mad dog are said to be the most dangerous. French 
authorities go to show that not one-third of those bitten by rabid 
animals die of rabies, while only 1 per cent of those bitten 
through the clothing die. Some people think the bite of an 
angry dog will produce hydrophobia, and all the more so if the 
animal should go mad, even years after. M. "Pasteur, the noted 
French scientist, says: "The bite of a dog is only dangerous when 



Dr. LeG-ear's Stock Book. 373 

he is suffering from rabies. The non-rabid animal, however en- 
raged, can not give rise to hydrophobia by his bite." No doubt 
a great many persons die from mental derangement (delirium) 
caused by fear of taking the terrible malady. The period of 
incubation is extremely variable — from a few days even up to a 
year or more. In man, nine days was the time generally accept- 
ed to elapse between the infliction of the bite and the- first sym- 
toms of the disease. 

Symptoms. — In giving the symptoms of canine madness, two 
foims will be noticed: the furious or violent, and the dumb or 
sullen. About the first thing noticed in the first form is a period 
of dullness, showing that the brain is affected. This period of 
dullness is followed by a period of restlessness or excitement, and 
after a time may again be followed by a period of coma. The 
animal has a tendency to seek confinement in out-of-the-way 
places, where he can lie undisturbed. When disturbed, he be- 
comes very much excited, and may become furiously enraged 
without any apparent cause. Now the countenance becomes 
anxious and appalling, the eyes become bloodshot, with a spark- 
ling, bright appearance, and a tendency to distorted vision or 
squinting. A very prominent symptom is a depraved appetite, 
the animal eating or swallowing pieces of wood, stones, coal, 
leather, and even pieces of iron, lead, etc. — in fact, any kind of 
filth or dirt that comes in his way is swallowed seemingly with 
great relish. Prof. Lagarris, of the Pasteur Institute, Chicago, 
111., says this symptom alone is characteristic of rabies, and is 
sufficient to justify any man giving his opinion as such, who also 
adds that in making post mortems on animals supposed to be 
affected with rabies the contents of the stomach always plays an 
important part in his decision, and always, where rabies are 
found, the stomach is partly filled with stones, gravel, pieces of 
wood and other indigestible material. An intense thirst is early 
acquired, and in his endeavors to quench it he will push his head 



374 Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 

up to the eyes into the vessel containing the liquid, and drink 
eagerly, unless prevented by a spasm of the larynx, when he be- 
comes enraged and furious at the sight of drinking liquids. 

The animal now becomes very restless and irritable, and if 
allowed his liberty will seek seclusion as the disease advances. 
He will leave his home and a kind master and go off in nearly a 
straight line along the street. He travels in a peculiar, long, 
swinging trot, the tail hanging down and often with the tongue 
hanging out of his mouth. He looks neither to the right nor to 
the left, and keeping his head in a straight line with his body 
hastens on as if in search of something he doesn^t seem to find. 
Thir is characteristic of the rabid animal, and nothing else. An 
excessive secretion of saliva, called frothing at the mouth, usual- 
ly takes place, and flows from the mouth. He seems to take no 
notice of any one or anything until pursued and bodily hurt, 
when he will wreak his vengeance on the offender, or anything 
else that comes in his way. Still, he will not go out of his way 
to do any mischief, and will even pass through crowds of people 
without attempting to bite them, but, instead, he tries to escape 
his pursuers and hide. When by himself, he will bite at imagin- 
ary objects, and will attack only real ones when placed in his way. 
His snapping at the open air is a very characteristic sign. 

The inclination on the part of the mad dog to wander about 
seems to be an instinctive attempt to get rid of the disease by 
muscular activity, as rabies, if spontaneous, is only so in non- 
perspiring animals. A rabid dog when at large always alters his 
course, when compelled, by turning at right angles, and never 
breaks this rule unless compelled to by a furious mob. It is 
nothing unusual to see a dog hounded about the streets, and said 
io be mad, when he is not, but is only excited or frightened. He 
never thinks of going out of his way to clear any object, attempt- 
ing to go over, under or through it, and never giving up until 
he is completely exhausted. The wound from the bite of a rabid 
animal heals very rapidly, and is rarely accompanied by inflam- 



Dk. LeGear's Stock Book. 375 

niation; but when the disease itself has set in, the wound may 
show evidence of irritation or inflammation, which causes the 
animal to gnaw or bite it, without feeling the slightest pain 
therefrom. If the animal is confined by a chain, he attempts to 
bite it in two; if by a door, he vents his fury on that. At this 
stage he has not the slightest sense of pain, as he will bite a red- 
hot iron exactly as if it were cold, if presented to him. If al- 
lowed water to drink, he will usually upset the vessel in his hurry 
to quench his thirst. At the appearance of some stranger he 
will bark as if angry, suddenly changing to a voice of joy and 
eestacy, then he will whine as if desiring something, then change 
again into a lonely, dismal howl, as if lost, or that approaching 
trouble was at hand; then he may become really natural for a few 
minutes, followed with the same symptoms, only increased until 
the whole muscular system is completely overcome with hideous, 
tetanic convulsions, which, however, soon disappear, and the 
characteristic howling commences again, which is readily recog- 
nized by an expert as that of a mad dog. 

The constitutional symptoms are increased temperature, nerv- 
ous excitability, respirations of a sobbing or sighing character, 
etc. One peculiarity of the disease is that the affected animal 
shows a great antipathy to animals of its own species. After two 
or three days of terrible suffering the animal succumbs, death 
taking place either from a paroxysm of choking or in a tranquil 
manner from nervous exhaustion. The power of swallowing 
usually returns shortly before death, which generally takes place 
in from two to five days. 

The second or dumb form is but a peculiar type of the disease, 
which runs a much shorter course and without the violent or 
irritative stage. The animal is quiet and depressed and has but 
little disposition to bite or run away. Paralysis of the lower jaw 
early sets in, appetite perverted, changed voice rarely heard, pro- 
gressive emaciation and exhaustion, and the poor sufferer seldom 
lives bevond the third day. 



376 Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 

Treatment. — Medical treatment, after the disease has become 
manifest, is of little or no avail, hence the affected animal should 
bo destroyed at once. In case of a valuable animal, or a member 
of the human family, being bitten by a rabid animal, the wound 
should, as soon as possible, be well cleansed and freely cauter- 
ized, One of the first things to do is to endeavor to prevent the 
absorption of the virus into the system. This may be accom- 
plished by complete excision of the part bitten, or by suction by 
means of a cupping glass, or even by the mouth if practicable, 
after which the part should be thoroughly cauterized with nit- 
rate of silver, caustic potash, nitric acid, or the actual cautery. 
Liquid caustics are preferable, as they penetrate every recess of 
the wound. At the same time, apply a ligature between the 
wound and the body, if the location of the wound will allow it, 
then place the animal in confinement to await developments; 
one month is considered a long enough period. 

If you kill the dog, it preA^ents the person from knowing 
whether hydrophobia will develop or not. If it does not mature, 
the person bitten need be in no way uneasy. No doubt many a 
valuable, well-bred animal has been killed with the supposition 
that he was rabid. An antidote for the poison has not yet been 
discovered, except the attenuated virus of the disease itself, pre- 
pared by M. Pasteur, who claims to prevent the development of 
the disease by inoculation of this prepared virus after infliction 
of the J)ite of a rabid animal. No doubt the prophylactic treat- 
ment is the only proper one to pursue. Still, Pasteur's method 
is not as yet universally accepted, but experiments up to the 
present time have been eminently satisfactory, and will, in all 
probability, lead to a specific, if not already. Medical treatment 
consists of nerve sedatives, anti-spasmodics, etc., which are to 
be given hypodermically, by inhalations, etc. 



APPENDIX. 



VETERINARY REMEDIES. 



dr. legear's 

Celebkated Veterinary Remedies 



PREPARED BY 



DRS. L. D. AND N. G. LeGEAR, 

GRADUATES OF THE ONTARIO VETERINARY COLLEGE, TORONTO, ONTARIO. 



VETERINARY SURGEONS, 



AUSTIN, TEXAS. 



These are a line of Stock Medicines we have prepared for the 
cure of the diseases of stock here in the South. They are not 
carelessly prepared by unprofessional men, as a great many jf 
the "would-be cure-alls" for stock are that flood the markets, 
but are guaranteed to be composed of strictly pure drugs, in the 
proper doses, and compounded with the greatest professional care 
and skill possible. 

We wish to ask all stock owners the following question: 
"Where are the stock medicines you have been using made?" 
Your answer will be, "Away up North." Let us ask again, How 
can men that live five hundred or perhaps a thousand miles 
from the ' South and never were down here make up medi- 
cines that will cure diseases of stock in this country, as 
there is just as much difference in the disease of stock and the 

2. r ) [p. 379] 



380 De. LeGeab's Stock Book. 

medicines required in curing them between there and here 
as there is "between the climate in the two places. Our long. 
hot summers and mild winters give all animals a different tem- 
perament and different diseases to what they have up North, 
therefore it takes specially prepared medicines to cure them. 
Again, do you know the men who put up these quack medicines? 
Are ther Veterinary Surgeons studying, practicing and treating' 

the diseases of stock? 

■ 

No; they are not. They perhaps don't know as much about 
the diseases of stock as you do. hut they have a few formulas 
from which they are putting up their "would-be cure-alls." 
Some of these preparations may do to use on stock up North, 
but they are no good in this elinrate. 

You say "these remedies seem to help our stock/' You may 
think so. but it is only imaginary. TTe would invite one and all 
to try Dr. LeGears celebrated Veterinary Eemedies when any 
of your stock are sick. lame, or injured, and see for yourself how 
much better they are than any other kind you ever used. 

We are preparing these remedies right here in the South after 
carefully studying and investigating the various diseases of 
stock and the medicines best suited to cure them. 

We wish to say that we are graduate veterinary surgeons, 
studying, practicing, and treating the diseases of stock here in 
the South, and that our celebrated Veterinary Eemedies are the 
results of our hard study and later practical work and scientific 
researches. We ask all readers of this book to carefully read over 
the following brief description of each of our celebrated Veter- 
inary Eemedies and testimonials from the best stockmen on each, 
for after you read them over carefully and note their superior 
qualities over all other stock medicines we know you will try 
them, and when once tried you will use no other. 

The testimonials we have on the merits of our medicines are 
from some of the best stockmen and horse owners in Texas who 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 381 

have thoroughly tested and used them. We have accepted no 
false or bogus testimonials. All are real and voluntary. If 
you doubt the reality of any of these testimonials, we would be 
pleased to have you write to the parties or call on them in person. 

HEALING LOTION. 

This is without a doubt the very best healing prepartion ever 
made. It is unequaled in its results in curing sore backs, sore 
shoulders, saddle and collar galls, barbed-wire cuts, scratches, 
cracked and greasy heels, sore teats in cows, or sores of any kind 
on all animals. It has wonderful antiseptic, astringent and heal- 
ing properties, which makes it such a valuable remedy for sores 
on stock. L T se according to directions on each bottle and you 
will be highly pleased with its results. Price, per bottle, 50c. 

Prairie Lea, Texas, April 14, 1897. 

Drs. L. D. & N. G. LeGear, Austin. Texas. 

Dear Sirs: I take pleasure in saying that your Healing Lotion, 
which you gave me, is a sure and speedy cure for all sores on 
stcck. One bottle cured my jack, which had sores on him for 
one year. Yours truly, 

C. POLK, Stockman. 

Cameron, Texas, January 20, 1897. 
Drs. L. D. & N. G. LeGear, Austin, Texas. 

Gentlemen: I have been using your celebrated Healing Lotion 
for the last six month for barbed wire cuts, sore backs and shoul- 
ders, and sores of all kinds on my horses, mules and cows, and 
find it the best healing medicine I ever used. I can highly rec- 
ommend it to all horsemen and stock owners. Yours respect- 
fully, W. K. DICKINSON, 

Liveryman, and dealer in Missouri mules and Jersey cows. 



382 Db. LeGear's Stock Book. 



LIXIMENT. 

There are over one dozen different kinds of liniment made 
and sold for stock, but man)* of them are of very little good. 
There is as much difference in liniments as there is in different 
biands of whisky — some good, and the rest no good at all. In 
preparing our Liniment, we have used the very best stimulating, 
penetrating and soothing medicines, therefore, we guarantee it 
to he one of the best liniments made. It will remove all pain, 
soreness, lameness and swelling in all cases of sprains, bruises, 
sore tendons, enlarged joints and glands, inflammatory swellings, 
sore throat, rheumatism, and all muscular soreness and lameness 
in horses and cattle, etc. Try it once, and you will use no other. 
It is a clean, speedy and reliable remedy, and can be used with 
perfect safety. Price per bottle, 50c. 

COXDITIOX POWDEBS. 

Nearly all animals, sometime during the year, more especially 
during the spring, need some_ good, reliable condition powders 
to purify the blood, rectify their stomachs and bowels, and tone 
up the whole system in general; therefore, we offer our cele- 
brated Condition Powders to the public for sale, with the assur- 
ance that they will give perfect satisfaction to all those who use 
them. They are not recklessly prepared by unprofessional par- 
ties from cheap, inferior drugs and adulterations, as most of the 
condition powders are, but are prepared with great care and skill 
from strictly pure drugs of full strength; therefore, much smaller 
doses are required, and much more good derived, from one box 
of our celebrated Condition Powders than from half a dozen 
packages of the inferior kinds. Our Condition Powders is a med- 
icine, and not a food, and, therefore, it takes only one teaspoon- 
ful for a dose, and not from one to three tablespoonsful, as is 



Dk. LeGear's Stock Book. 383 

usually prescribed of the inferior kinds. It is a waste of money 
to pay medicine prices for feed, as you do when you buy most of 
the "condition powders" and "stock foods" that flood the mar- 
ket, for they are composed principally of bran, linseed meal, etc. 
When you buy our celebrated Condition Powders, we will assure 
you that yon are buying medicine, and not adulterations, and 
when given according to directions will give perfect satisfaction 
every time. They are especially adapted to keeping horses, cat- 
tle, sheep and hogs in general good health and condition, giving 
them sleek, glossy coats, plenty of life and spirits, renovating the 
blood, and the whole digestive, muscular and nervous system in 
general. They are unequaled in their results in relieving hide 
bound, indigestion, loss of appetite, liver troubles, rough, staring 
coats, general debility, bad blood, loss of flesh, all chronic kidney 
troubles, thick, ropy urine, coughs, colds, distemper, epizootic, 
bladder diseases, etc. A trial will convince you that they are 
first-class in every particular. Price, 50c. 

Giddings, Texas. 
Drs. L. D. & N". G. LeGear, Austin, Texas. 

Dr. LeGear's Condition Powders for stock have been thor- 
oughly tried by me and I found it to work like magic. It is 
all that they claim for it, and a good article to have at your barn. 
I purchased it on trial, to use it for thick, ropy urine, and in a 
few days the powder had done its good work. It is an exceed- 
ingly good appetizer and tones up the system to perfection. 

J. W. NORTHRUP, 
Publisher Giddings "News." 

Luling, Texas, March 1, 1897. 

Drs. L. D. & N. G. LeGear, Austin, Texas. 

Dear Sirs: Have been using your Stock Condition Powders on 
my entire herd of Jerseys for past six weeks with entire satisfac- 
tion. For animals that are run down, off feed or wormy, the 



384 Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 

results are marvelous, and it is with a great deal of pleasure 
that I recommend your stock medicines to breeders of fine stock 
and the public in general. Have found nothing in my eight 
years' experience in handling fine stock that acts as promptly 
and to the point. Wishing you all the success you are entitled to, 
I am, yours very truly, JAMES A. PEYOE, 

Proprietor Oakland Jersey Farm. 

COLIC CUEE. 

There is no disease of the horse that has so many would-be 
remedies as colic, and nine out of every ten of these remedies are 
no good, and many of them do a horse more harm than good. 
In order to prepare a remedy that is safe, sure, and reliable in 
all forms of colic and all internal pains we have after great study 
and scientific research compounded our celebrated Colic Cure. 
It is absolutely composed of the best pain-killers, anodynes, anti- 
septics and correctives which are needed in the treatment of 
colic and all those troubles of the stomach, bowels and kidneys 
shown by pain, cramps, bloating, uneasiness, etc. It is a safe, 
sure, and reliable remedy for all forms of colic, acute indiges- 
tion, flatulency, inflammation of the bowels, diarrhoea, dysen- 
tery, irritative kidneys, inflammation of the kidneys, and all 
internal pain that can be cured by medicine. As colic is a dis- 
ease that comes on very suddenly without a moment's warning, 
and is so liable to kill the horse or mule before you can go to the 
store for any medicine, we will advise all persons owning one 
or more horses or mules to always keep a bottle of Dr. LeGear's 
Celebrated Colic Cure on hand, as you will in many instances 
save the life of your animal by doing so, for "time lost is money 
lost" in treating colic. We can refer you below to testimonials 
of stockmen and horse owners who have used and thoroughly 
tested the merits of our Colic Cure. Another great advantage 
our Colic Cure has over all others is its cheapness. It is not only 



Br. LeGear's Stock Book. 385 

the best eolie cure on the market, hut it is the cheapest. Just 
think of it, a big bottle of Colic Cure for only 50 cents. 

Burnet, Texas, Aug. 2, 1897. 

Drs. L. D. & 1ST. G. LeGear, Austin, Texas. 

Gentlemen: We have used your Colic Cure for the last twelve 
months on our horses and find it all K. It gives ready relief, 
and is a safe cure for the Colic. Yours with best wishes, 

SKAGGS & FOULDS, Livervmen. 

Brownwood, Texas, June 1?, 1897. 

To whom it may concern: 

This is to certify that I had a fine mule that had been sub- 
ject to fits of colic for more than a year, and the last attack he 
had I gave him up to die. Had tried everything recommended 
for colic to no avail, when finally Dr. Eufus Payne suggested 
"Dr. LeGear's Colic Cure," which was given, and to my aston- 
ishment the first dose gave perfect relief — not only relief, but 
a cure, and the mule has not had an attack since. I can un- 
hesitatingly recommend Dr. LeGear's Colic Cure for horses. 

J. H. BYED, a Eanchman. 

EYE WATEE. 

The eye, the organ of vision, is very delicate, and is one of the 
most important organs of the body, and one that should have 
special care and proper treatment when diseased. There is no 
remedy equal to Dr. LeGear's celebrated Eye Water for curing 
all disease^ of the eyes of stock. It is prepared with the greatest 
care and .skill from the best eye medicines known. It is a mild, 
non-irritating and safe preparation, and is a reliable remedy for 
all curable diseases of the eyes of horses, cattle, dogs, etc., such 
as simple ophthalmia, periodic ophthalmia (moon blindness), 
svelled lids, flow of tears, hooks, cloudiness or milkiness of the 



386 Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 

eye, inflammation, ulceration, injuries, etc. Don't injure your 
horse's eyes by putting salt, burnt alum, etc., in them, but use 
our celebrated Eye Water, which is cheap, safe and sure. Price 
per bottle, 50c. 

Austin, Texas, August 30, 1897. 
Drs. L. D. & N. G. LeGear, Austin, Texas. 

Gentlemen: This is to certify that I have used Drs. L. D. & N\ 
G. LeGear's Eye Water, and with three applications it perfectly 
cured my pointer dog's eyes. Very truly, 

LOUIS N. BRUEGGERHOFF. 

Cameron, Texas, July 29, 1897. 
Drs. L. D. & N. G. LeGear, Austin, Texas. 

Gentlemen: I have used your Eye Water on quite a number of 
horses and had splendid results in every case. With best wishes, 
I am, very respectfully, 

W. K. DICKINSON, Liveryman. 

Cameron, Texas, July 29, 1897. 
Drs. L. D. & N". G. LeGear, Austin, Texas. 

Gentlemen: You doubtless remember the condition of my 
horse's eye, and instructing me how to use your Eye Water. I 
am glad to be able to state that in a few weeks after beginning its 
use the eye, instead of appearing like a blind eye, was restored to 
its natural appearance. Yours very truly, 

W. B. STREETMAIST. 

SCREW WORM POWDER. 

Screw worms and flies are such a common annoyance to stock 
and stockmen that a line of stock medicines would not be com- 
plete without some good, reliable remedy to keep flies and screw 



Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 387 

worms away from sores on stock. Our Screw Worm Powder is 
a safe, sure and reliable antiseptic protection against the inva- 
sion of all flies, screw worms and poisonous germs. It not only 
keeps out screw worms, but heals all sores very rapidly. It is 
put very conveniently in tin cans, with little holes in the top, so 
the powder can be dusted on the sores without any trouble. Try 
it, and be convinced that this is the best preventive against 
screw worms you ever used. Price per box, 50c. 

Brownwood, Texas, June 18, 1897. 
Drs. L. D. & X. G. LeGear, Austin, Texas. 

Gentlemen: We have been using your celebrated Screw Worm 
Powder for the past year and find it to be the best healing medi- 
cine for all kinds of sores on stock we ever used. It is also a 
sure preventive against screw worms, and keep all flies away 
from sores. We can highly recommend it to all stock owners as 
an excellent remedy for curing barbed wire cuts or sores of any 
kind on stock. 

G. W. HALL & SON", Livery and Transfer Men. 

WORM REMEDY. 

You will learn, b} r reading elsewhere in this book, that there 
are several different kinds of worms that infest the stomach and 
bowels of stock, and that they are a very common and trouble- 
some pest. In preparing our celebrated Worm Remedy we have 
used several different kinds of medicines, which make it the best 
worm destroyer ever prepared. It not only kills the worms, but 
aids digestion, tones up the stomach and bowels, cleanses the 
blood, and conditions the animal in general. It is perfectly 
harmless to the animal, but sure death to the worms. Price, 50c. 



388 Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 



SPAVIN CUKE. 

This is our favorite blister salve, and it is one of the best blis- 
tering preparations made. Don't think, because it is called Spav- 
in Cure, that it is only useful in curing spavin. It is the best 
penetrating, absorbing and sweating blister that can possibly be 
made, and, therefore, is very useful in a great many diseases. 

A remedy of this kind has a great call for and is certainly 
much needed wherever horses are owned. We have spared no 
skill, time or expense in making our celebrated Spavin Cure 
complete and effectual in every particular to meet the demand. 

It is a safe, speedy and reliable remedy for spavin, ring-bone,, 
splints, side bones, curbs, thorough pin, bog spavin, wind puffs, 
sweeny, all chronic enlargements of joints, all bony or callous 
tumors or enlargements, navicular disease, chronic founder, and 
any fever or soreness in the feet. It has wonderful vesicant and 
absorbent effects, penetrating to the seat of the trouble, and in- 
suring speedy action and sure results in all cases where a cure is 
possible. 

It is guaranteed not to kill the hair when used according to 
directions. When applied to the feet, it draws out all soreness 
and fever, softens the hoof, and makes it grow very rapidly. 
Price per bottle, $1. 

Brownwood, Texas, June 15, 1897. 
Drs. L. D. & 1ST. G. LeGear, Austin, Texas. 

Gentlemen: It is with pleasure that we testify to the merits 
of your Spavin Cure. We cured one very bad case of enlarged 
hock- joint in one of our horses which we thought was incurable. 
It is the very best penetrating, absorbing, sweating blister we 
ever used, and can highly recommend it to all horse owners who 
have occasion to use it. 

G. W. HALL & SON, Livery and Transfer Men. 



Dk. LeGear's Stock Book. 389 

Holman, Texas, July 28, 1897. 
Drs. L. D. & N. G. LeGear, Austin, Texas. 

Dear Sirs: I have sold your line of medicines for stock for 
about twelve months, and could not get along without them, 
as they give the most gratifying results among my customers. 
Very respectfully yours, 

G. W. LEWIS. 

Brenham, Texas, July 26, 1897. 
Drs. L. D. & N. G. LeGear, Austin, Texas. 

Gentlemen: Your veterinary medicines have given entire sat- 
isfaction wherever sold. You will notice my orders have been 
quite frequent during the last twelve months, and the last order 
showed quite an increase in amount over previous ones. There is 
a demand for reliable veterinary medicines, and you made no 
mistake when you entered the field to supply this demand. I 
shall continue to handle your preparations, knowing that your 
skill and integrity insure safe and reliable goods. Yours truly, 

E. E. LUHN, Druggist' 

Cameron, Texas, July 26, 1897. 

Drs. L. D. & N". G. LeGear, Austin, Texas. 

This is to certify that I have been handling Drs. L. D. & N. G. 
LeGear's Veterinary Eemedies for ten months, during which 
time I have made seven orders. I find them to be good sellers 
and to satisfy those who use them. Bespectfully, 

GEO. A. THOMAS. 

Brownwood, Texas, July 5, 1897. 

Drs. L. D. & N". G. LeGear, Austin, Texas. 

Dear Sirs: It is with pleasure that we recommend to the trade 
and public your veterinary remedies. We have been handling 
them about one year, and have placed six orders with you. We 



390 Dr. LeGear's Stock Book. 

find them good sellers and give entire satisfaction to the buyer. 
We can safely say that your Horse Colic Cure is a panacea for 
colic. Have known of one or two doses instantly relieving some 
very severe cases. We consider all your remedies medicines of 
great merit. Yours truly, 

E. P. PAYNE DEUG CO. 

Georgetown, August 2, 1897. 
To whom it may concern: 

This is to certify that we have been selling Dr. LeGear's vet- 
erinary remedies for over six months and are yet to hear of a 
case where they have not given perfect satisfaction. 

Eespectfully, 

FLEAGEE & WHITTENBEEG. 

New Braunfels, Texas, August 19, 1897. 
Drs. L. D. & N. G. LeGear, Austin, Texas. 

Gentlemen: Since you have introduced your celebrated veter- 
inary me-dicines here, the demand for them has steadily in- 
creased, and people who have used them are more than pleased 
with results. 

H. V. SCHUMANN, the Leading Druggist. 



INDEX. 



HORSE DEPARTMENT. 



Abortion • 210 

Abscesses 172 

After-birth, retention of .... 206 

Age, how told 49 

Albuminoids, poisoning by. . 94 

Amurosis 143 

Aphthae 58 

Apoplexy 127 

Asthma 38 

Azotnria 94 

Barrenness 211 

Big head 165 

Bladder, inflammation of . . . 90 
Bladder, paralysis of the neck 

of the 92 

Bladder, spasm of the neck 

of the 91 

Bleeding from the lungs .... 30 

Bleeding from the nose 23 

Blind staggers 128 

Bloody flux 79 

Bog spavin 180 

Bones 149 

Bots, larvae of the gadfly ... 61 

Brain, concussion of 123 

Brain, inflammation of 124 

Break-down 187 

Breathing, organs of 19 

Breeding 8 



Broken wind 38 

Bronchitis 28 

Bruise of sensitive sole 234 

Burns -. 173 

Capped elbow 1 82 

Capped hock 181 

Canker 240 

Care of the mare 12 

Caries 156 

Castration 214 

Bleeding 218 

Lockjaw 219 

Pain 218 

Peritonitis 218 

Ridglings 220 

Seedy cord 220 

Swelling 217 

Cataract 1 4 1 

Catarrh, simple 20 

Catarrh, chronic 24 

Choking 59 

Choking, results of 61 

Chronic cough 24 

Clipping horses 199 

Cocked ankles 183 

Coffin-joint lameness 243 

Cold in the head 20 

Collar galls 194 

Colic, flatulent (W 



| p. 301 



392 



IXDEX. 



Colic, spasmodic 69 

Congestion of the lungs 31 

Constipation 71 

Contraction 230 

Cornea, ulcers of 142 

Corns 235 

Cracked heels 100 

Cribbing 267 

Crooked tail 198 

Curb j 77 

Cystitis 90 

Decayed teeth 53 

Dentition 47 

Diabetes insipidus 87 

Diabetes mallitus 88 

Diaphragm, spasm of 37 

Diarrhoea 78 

Diuresis 87 

Distemper 40 

Dropsy of the chest 36 

Dropsy of the scrotum 223 

Dysentery 79 

Dyspepsia 65 

Eczema 99 

Encephalitis 124 

Enlarged joints 191 

Enteritis 75 

Epilepsy 127 

Epistaxis 23 

Epizootic 44 

Epizootic cellulitis 43 

Excess of venereal desire. . . 212 

Eyeball, tumors of 142 



Flatulent colic 64 

Foaling 201 

Foaling, after treatment. . . . 205 

Foot, anatomy of 229 

Foot, nail in 237 

Foot, gravel in 236 

Foot, prepared for the shoe. 248 

Forging 257 

Foulness of the sneath 227 

Founder 231 

Fractures 152 

Glanders and Farcy 260 

Gonorrhoea 226 

Gravel 93 

Gravel in the foot 236 

Grease 102 

Gut Tie 77 

Habits 267 

Haematuria 89 

Haemoptysis 30 

Haw. the 138 

Head staggers 120 

Heat stroke 120 

Heart, inflammation or .... 147 

Heaves 38 

Hemorrhage, after delivery. 207 

Hernia 83 

Hip-joint disease 193 

Hooks 138 

Horseshoeing 247 

Hydrothorax 36 

Hydrocele 223 

Hvsteria 126 



Feeding and watering 1 Impaction of large bowels. . 74 

Fetlock, sprain of 185 Indigestion 65 

Fistulae 196 Influenza 44 

Fits, falling 127 Interfering 258 



Index. 



393 



Intususception 76 

Invagination 76 

Inversion of womb 207 

Itch 107 

Jacks, old sores on 113 

Jaundice 82 

Kidneys, inflammation of. . . 85 

Kidney sores 195 

Knee sprung 184 

Knuckling 183 

Lagrippe 44 

Laminitis 231 

Lampas 57 

Laryngitis 21 

Larynx, spasms of 23 

Leucorrhoea 209 

Lice 110 

Liver, inflammation of 81 

Lockjaw 132 

Loco- weed poisoning 264 

Lolling 268 

Long projecting teeth 52 

Lousiness 110 

Lung fever 32 

Lymphangitis 115 

Mallenders 106 

Mange 107 

Masturbation 225 

Medicines, how given 14 

Medicines, measuring 331 

Medicines, action, doses, etc. 332 

Meningitis, cerebro spinal . . . 129 

Meningitis, spinal 131 

Membrane nietitans 138 

Monday morning disease. . . . 115 

Mud fever 105 



Nails 

Nail in the foot . . . 

Narrow heel 

Nasal gleet 

Nasal polypi .... 
Navicular disease 

Necrosis 

Nephritis 

Nettle rash 



Oedema 

Ophthalmia, periodic . . . 

Ophthalmia, simple 

Optic nerve, paralysis of. 

Open joint 

Orchitis 

Organs of respiration 



Osteo-porosis 
Overreach . . 



Palsy 

\ Palsy of the nerve of sight. 
! Paralysis 

Parrot mouth 

Parturition 

Parturition, arter treatment, 

Paraphymosis 

Patella, dislocation of 

Penis, paralysis of 

Penis, foulness of 

Pericarditis 

Pharyngeal polypi 

Phlebitis 

Phymosis 

Pink-eye 

Placenta, retention of 

Pleurisy 

Pneumonia 

Poll evil 



253 

237 

230 

24 

22 

243 

157 

85 

104 

114 
139 
136 
143 
175 
222 
19 

165 

257 

122 
143 
122 

57 
201 
205 
224 
191 
225 
227 
147 

22 
174 
225 

43 
206 

35 

32 
196 



394 



Index. 



Pregnancy, signs of 201 

Presentations, natural 202 

Presentations, unnatural . . . 202 

Projecting teeth 50 

Ptyalism 59 

Pulse, the 144 

Quarter crack . . . 241 

Quittor 238 

Rachitis 155 

Respiration, organs of 19 

Rickets 155 

Ringworm Ill 

Ringbone 159 

Roaring 26 

Rupture S3 

Rupture of stomach 64 

Saddle galls 194 

Sallenders 107 

Sand crack 241 

Scalds 173 

'Scratches 100 

Scum, bluish white on the 

cornea 141 

Seedy toe 234 

Self abuse 225 

Sharp teeth 50 

Sheath, foulness of 227 

Shoe boil 182 

Shoulder slip 188 

Shoulder joint lameness .... 189 

Shoe, the 250 

'Shoeing for specific purpose . 256 

Shoeing, fitting 252 

'Shoeing, finishing 256 

Side bones 161 

Sitfasts 195 

Slobbering 59 



Snake bites 174 

Sore throat 21 

Sore mouth 58 

Spasm of larynx 23 

Spasm of diaphragm 37 

Spasmodic colic 69 

Spavin 162 

iSpaying 221 

Spinitis 131 

Splints 158 

Spots (white) on cornea.... 141 

Sprain of fetlock 185 

Sprain of suspensory liga- 
ments 186 

Sprung knees 184 

Stabling, and general care. . 4 

Staling, profuse 87 

Stifled 191 

Stone 93 

Stocking 114 

Sterility 211 

Strangles 40 

String halt 121 

Stomach, rupture of 64 

Stumbling 259 

Sunstroke 118 

Surfeit 104 

Sweating, non- 97 

Sweeny 188 

Swelled legs 114 

Teeth 48 

Temperature 146 

Testicles, inflammation of . . . 222 

Testicles, enlarged 224 

Tetanus 132 

Thoroughpin 179 

Thrush 239 

Thumps 37 

Toe crack 241 



IXDEX. 



395 



Trachitis 28 

Tumors 172 

Tumors or the eyeball 142 

Twisting of the bowels 77 

Ulceration of the cornea. . . . 142 

Undershot 57 

Urine, bloody 89 

Urticaria 104 

Variola equina 265 

Veins, inflammation of 174 

Volvulus 77 



Warts 112 

Weed 115 

Wheezing 26 

Whistling 26 

Whites 209 

Wind colic 64 

Wind puffs 179 

Wind sucking 267 

Worms (intesanal) 63 

Wounds 166 

Yellows, the 82 



CATTLE DEPARTMENT. 



Acclimation fever 308 

Actinomycosis 327 

Animal consumption 315 

Anthrax 303 

Apoplexy 287 

Black leg 322 

Black quarter 322 

Bloating 273 

Blocked or closed teats 293 

Bleeding cancer 329 

Bloody murrain 308 

Bloody milk 292 

Blue milk 292 

Bovine tuberculosis 315 

Calving 285 

Charbon 303 

Cowpox 326 

Constipation 279 

Cripple, the 301 

Cud, loss of 276 

26 



Dehorning 280 

Diarrhoea in calves 277 

Diarrhoea in cattle 278 

Distention of the paunch . . . 275 

Dry murrain 276 

Fungus haematodes 329 

Garget 289 

Grass staggers 276 



Horn fly 
Hoven . . 



300 
273 



Indigestion of third stomach, 276 



Loss of cud 276 

Lump jaw 327 

i 

Mammitis 289 

Medicines, action, doses, etc., 333 
Milk fever 285 



396 



Index. 



Milk, blue 292 

Milk, bloody 292 

Opening in side of teat 294 

Parturition 285 

Parturient paralysis 286 

Parturient paralysis 287 

Paunch, distension of 275 



Red water 



308 



Screw worms . 301 

Sore teats 294 

Spanish fever 308 



Spaying cows 282 

Splenetic fever 308 

Stiff disease 301 

Stringy milk 292 

Symptomatic anthrax 322 

Teats, blocked 293 

Teats, closed 293 

Texas fever 308 

Ticks 295 

Variola vaccina 326 

White scour 277 

Worms 279 



SHEEP DEPARTMENT. 



Foot rot 342 

Gid 347 

Grub in the head 345 

Hydatid of the brain 347 

Liver fluke 344 



Rot. the 344 

•Scab 338 

Sturdy 347 

Turn-sick 347 



SWINE DEPARTMENT. 



Hog cholera 351 

Measles 358 



Swine plague 351 

Trichinosis 356 

Trichina 356 



Index. 



397 



DOG DEPAETMENT. 



Distemper 363 

Eczema 366 

Hydrophobia 371 

Itch 367 



Mange 367 

Rabies 371 

Spaying bitches 369 



VETEKINAKY EEMEDIES. 



Colic Cure 384 

Condition Powders 382 

Eye Water 385 

Healing Lotion 381 



Liniment 382 

Screw-worm Powder 386 

Spavin Cure 388 

Worm Remedy 387 



HAUSSMANN & DUNN, 



MANUFACTURERS, 
IMPORTERS 

WHOLESALE and RETAIL 
DEALERS IN — ^ 



VETERINARY 

INSTRUMENTS 
and SUPPLIES 

...TURF GOODS... 

INSTRUMENTS MADE TO ORDER A SPECIALTY. 



East Madison Street, 
Chicago, III. 



Persons wishing Veterinary Instruments of the above firm 

MAY OBTAIN THEM THROUGH DRS. L. D. <£ N. G. LeGEAR, 

Veterinary Surgeons, Austin, Texas. 



